I'm Myself First
by Shadow Angel
Summary: This one is based mostly around Margie after the end of the game and will tell of the relationship between her and a certain young Crown Prince. Completed!
1. Default Chapter

Author's Notes: Konnichiwa minna-san! Okay everyone, I will seriously need your opinions because I'm still not sure as to how I'm going to continue writing this one. Read this chapter and tell me where you want me to go from there, ok? I have a general idea of what I want in it, but it's up to the readers to make their suggestions if they want the story to go any particular way. Okay? Thanks in advance and happy reading! ^_^  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears and its characters all belong to the very powerful company Squaresoft. Not to me (damn), so please don't sue.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
Margie, as the Great Mother of Nisan, never thought that she'd find herself scrubbing the floor of a house that wasn't even hers. Not that the Sisters hadn't put her through rigorous manual labor when she'd been younger, but that had changed as she'd unwillingly become the Great Mother. Half a year ago she never would have imagined all the changes that had been forced upon them. She never would have dreamed that what had happened in the last several months, had happened. Death and suffering everywhere.  
  
Luckily, it was all over. Well, mostly.  
  
"They're back! They're back! Fei is back!" Chu-Chu cried happily, bouncing into the house (literally) Margie was cleaning. "Fei is back! And the others, chu!"  
  
Margie's face brightened up considerably and she stood up quickly, hurriedly rolling down her dark brown trousers and pulling on her socks and boots, not even bothering to tie up the laces.  
  
They had been gone for five weeks. Five whole weeks! Margie had started worrying, even though she'd never admit it openly. She wasn't one to share those type of feelings. Chu-Chu rolled down the road alongside her and a bunch of other villagers who had heard the news as they all made their way toward the crowd that was gathering at the front gate of the small city. People had stopped working to welcome the Heroes back.  
  
Margie stopped in mid-run and stood just behind the cheering crowd. Now that she was the Great Mother she had to act with more dignity, even though all she wanted was to push the crowd aside and take a look at her friends. Just like Chu-Chu was doing.  
  
"Chu-Chu want to see Fei chu! Chu-Chu want to see Fei chu!" The little pink creature cried, trying to roll through the crowd. When noboby moved aside, Chu-Chu glared and stood back. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she began growing in size. Luckily for everyone there, she only grew big enough to shoulder people aside without hurting them.  
  
"Come on Margie! Chu-Chu found a way through! Don't chu wanna see the others?" She asked, pulling on Margie's arm.  
  
"Um, Chu-Chu..." Margie started to object, but Chu-Chu either didn't hear or decided to ignore her as she pulled her along through the crowd. "Chu-Chu, we should just wait behind..."  
  
And suddenly, they were in front of the crowd and Margie could see the Heroes approaching. Chu-Chu beside her shrunk down to her original size.  
  
First came Fei and Elly, side by side, holding hands, fingers entwined. You couldn't really think of one without the other anymore. It was like they were one. They both looked tired, especially Elly. She had been wearing regular commoner clothes since she had been saved by Fei. Shirt, trousers and boots. And she had been helping with the healing of all the people who were still recovering. Her serious, gentle face brightened with a smile when Fei leaned closer and whispered something in her ear. Fei was smiling, too, even though he looked exhausted. Even if the worst was over, there was still a lot of work to do.  
  
Behind them came Emeralda, her amber eyes always on Fei, her arms crossed under her chest in a natural stance of detachment. But Margie noticed that the position of aloofness was getting more difficult to uphold for the girl as her involvement with people increased. She seemed a little more relaxed around Elly now that she knew Elly and Fei were permanent mates, but she was still protective of him. After all, she still thought of him as her 'father'. Her creator.  
  
Doctor Citan Uzuki walked beside her, probably questioning her about what she remembered about her past. Yui and Midori suddenly broke away from the waiting crowd and ran over to hug him. Margie smiled as she saw little, quiet Midori run back into the crowd to pull a struggling Dan over to Fei and her father. Dan, of course, still tried to act as though he didn't care they were back, but she saw a happy smile tugging at his lips.   
  
Jessiah, Primera and Billy came after them. Primera insisted on going with them anywhere they went and was holding onto her father's hand like she'd never let go. She stared up at her father and older brother as they argued, a calm look in her wine colored eyes. Actually it was Billy who was arguing. Jessie just sighed and shook his head, hiding a smile behind his usual scowl.   
  
Margie knew how pig-headed Billy could be with his father. The young ex-priest didn't like to give an inch. She waved at him when he turned and he dropped his stubborn look long enough to wave and smile back.  
  
Maison followed behind, looking horrified at the way Maria's pink dress was stained in gear grease. Even though Maria Balthazar was only thirteen, she knew more about fixing her giant gear Seibzehn than anyone else. And the grease didn't seem to bother her. She immediately grinned when she saw Margie.  
  
Margie gazed at the Heroes entering Nisan and noticed sadly that no one else was coming behind them. Rico had probably stayed behind to help rebuild Kislev. And Bart and Sig... well they had Aveh to take care of. Nisan was her own problem.  
  
Chu-Chu was near to bursting with excitement, but Margie's hand on the soft fur of her shoulder kept her from jumping on her friends. As soon as they were about five feet away, though, she threw herself onto Fei, babbling happily.  
  
"Oh Fei, you don't know how much Chu-Chu missed you! Chu-Chu so glad you're back! Oh, and Elly, chu!" She said, jumping onto Elly, making Fei laugh. "Chu-Chu has been very good! Right Margie?"  
  
Margie laughed and nodded then went over to Fei and stood on tiptoe to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm so glad you guys are back," she murmured going over to hug Elly tightly. She was glad when Elly hugged her back just as tightly. They had become really close friends since... since all of this began. Margie was glad she had someone to talk to that was female. Being best friends with a guy had its perks, but Margie didn't feel very comfortable talking to Bart about some things. Especially since it was him she was sometimes needed to talk about. Now when exactly had things gotten so complicated?  
  
She brushed that thought out of her mind for the moment as she welcomed the others back, laughing when Maison, instead of hugging her took a handkerchief out of his pocket and rubbed a smudge of dirt she had on her face.   
  
She kissed Citan's forehead and hugged Emeralda and Primera each, helped Maria with her tools and kissed Billy's cheek while Maria giggled at the way he blushed. Then she took a surprised Emeralda's hand and signalled for Maria to grab Prim's and all of them ran towards the house that had been left vacant for the Heroes. As soon as they arrived at the room Emeralda, Maria and Prim would be sharing, Margie and Maria burst into happy giggles. Even Primera, who had been quiet most of her life, laughed joyfully. Emeralda stared at them quizzically for a minute then sighed and shook her head in confusion. The nanomachine who was still didn't understand half of human feelings muttered something about going to find Kim, but was stopped from leaving when Margie moved to block the door.  
  
"Wait Emeralda, don't leave," she pleaded. She gave the taller girl her friendliest smile and urged her to sit down on the small couch in the room. "Please stay. We wanted to catch up on what's happened and you're one of us remember? We want to hear your story, too. Don't we?"  
  
The other two nodded and put the emerald-haired girl at ease in their own way. Maria grinned while Prim smiled encouragingly. Emeralda finally shrugged and sat down. Margie exhaled in relief and sat down on one of the beds, lying back as she saw the others sit.  
  
"I'm glad you guys are back," Margie finally said, staring up at the ceiling. She had helped with the clean-up and repairs of this room and was proud of it.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Maria sighed as she stood up to go rummage in the wardrobe her extra clothes had put in. Primera smiled shyly to show her pleasure.  
  
"I'm glad to be back also," Emeralda said slowly. The other three took pleasure in the fact that Emeralda's sentences were becoming more complete.  
  
After a moment of silence Margie sat up and bit her lip, thinking of a way to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue. Oh heck, a year ago she wouldn't have hesitated to ask how Bart was, but now...  
  
Maria poked her head out of the wardrobe and grinned at her, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. The girl had changed, loosened up a lot since Solaris had been stopped. She didn't have revenge on her mind anymore.  
  
"Just so you'll know, we passed through Aveh on our way here," she began slowly, almost as if she had read Margie's mind.  
  
"Oh," Margie said, acting as if she wasn't interested.  
  
"Yeah, and we saw Sig and Bart..." Maria continued, smiling slyly.  
  
"Really," Margie said, grinning back.  
  
"Uh-huh. And while we were there, I noticed that Bart was hoping you had come along with us. You know, for a visit."  
  
"Yeah, well I can't. I've got enough work to do right here," Margie sighed, a bit sadly. Primera got up and walked over to her, patting her shoulder sympathetically.  
  
"He misses you," she stated quietly, her huge garnet eyes kind. Margie blushed to the roots of her hair. Prim's sincere comment touched her a lot more than Maria's teasing.  
  
While Emeralda studied her in puzzlement, Maria laughed at her red face and slipped out of her stained pink dress. She dropped in on the floor just as the door opened and Billy poked his head in.   
  
"Hey Prim, you know where my- ," he stopped in mid-sentence when Maria let out a high pitched shriek and ran into the bathroom, blushing from head to toe in embarrasement.   
  
Margie and Primera looked at each other and began laughing while Billy frowned in confusion.  
  
"What's up with her?" he finally asked. Margie suppressed her chuckling long enough to answer.  
  
"You came in while she was changing, you dolt."  
  
Billy frowned some more as they continued laughing. ~Why should she be embarrased?~ he thought. ~Her shift covered her about as much as her dress did...~ He glanced at Emeralda, who just shrugged and shook her head. Sometimes, she didn't understand the female mind either...  
  
*************************************************  
  
  
Margie sighed happily as she combed out her damp hair, which was a lot longer than she it had looked under that hat she had worn until only a few weeks ago. She had given up her hat and her cape, items she had worn since she was about eleven. Now five years later, things had changed drastically and so had she. Maturity came fast when your family was killed and a city's wellbeing was put on your shoulders. Now, sitting on her bed, in her room, fresh from a shower, she wondered once again what her grandmother or mother would've done in her place.  
  
Margie was about to turn off her lamp and crawl under the covers when she heard a knock on her door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
The door opened and Elly came in, wearing her nightgown. She smiled. "Hi Margie. Can I talk to you, or do you want to go to sleep?"  
  
"No! No. I wanted to talk to you all day. It's just that you seemed too tired and preoccupied." Margie patted the bed. "Come on. Sit down."  
  
Elly sat and as she did, she smiled softly, dreamily. Margie blinked as Elly gazed off into space, her face serenely happy.  
  
"What happened that got that look in your face?"  
  
"Oh Margie, I think... I'm pretty sure... but not completely sure... that... that..."  
  
"That...?"  
  
"That I'm pregnant," Elly said, turning to her.  
  
Margie stared, transfixed for a moment. And then the words sank in and she jumped up. "Pregnant! Elly, oh my gosh! You're pregnant?!"  
  
"Yeah, I think. I mean, the signs are there, but I have to make sure before I tell Fei, you know? I mean, I don't want to get his hopes up for nothing."  
  
"But you're willing to get my hopes up."  
  
"I just needed to tell someone."  
  
"I know. I was just kidding."  
  
"I'm having Citan test me tomorrow." Elly looked really excited. "And I want you to pray that I'm right. That I am pregnant."  
  
Margie grinned. "Sure thing."  
  
"Oh Margie, and if I am..."   
  
"Oh Elly, if you are pregnant," Margie said happily, "you can name the baby after me. Marguerite Jr. or whatever."  
  
Elly laughed and Margie pulled her up to her feet to give her a proper hug.  
  
"Isn't this great?!"  
  
"Sure is! How is Fei gonna react?!"  
  
"He's probably gonna faint!"  
  
"Imagine the site! We'll need to take pictures of it then!"  
  
Then both girls burst out laughing. That is, until a knock sounded on the door and they both nearly screamed. Wouldn't do to get caught before they knew for sure.  
  
"Hey! Some of us are trying to sleep," Jessie grumbled loudly. Then his footsteps were heard as he left and a door slammed.  
  
Elly and Margie looked at each other began giggling, more quietly this time.  
  
"Well, I've gotta go. I've been getting a lot more tired lately," Elly said before going over to the door and opening it. "I really missed talking to you, you know. Let's talk some more tomorrow."  
  
"Sure. Good night!"  
  
"Good night."  
  
Margie smiled happily as Elly closed the door and continued smiling until she fell asleep. After she had prayed of course.  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*So what did you all think? This is just the beginning and I apologize if it went a little slow, but it'll get better hopefully! I'll have the next chapter up pretty soon, but I need all of you to please review and tell me where I need to improve or whatever. Ideas are welcome and as I said before, please send me your thoughts as to where you want this to go. Okay? Domo arigatou! :) 


	2. Chapter Two

Author's Note: Okay, since you readers asked so nicely and actually _reviewed_ my story, here is the next installment. Once again, please review or I wont have the motivation to continue writting this. Thanks! :)  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft. Simple as that.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Margie was in a really good mood the next afternoon, even while scrubbing floors. But she tried to keep her excitement to herself before someone asked her what made her smile while she was on her knees on a wet floor. What would she answer? As far as she knew, only Elly, Citan and herself knew. And once they confirmed that Elly _was_ pregnant for sure, Fei would know. Margie chuckled as she imagined his reaction.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
Margie looked up and bit her lip when she saw Fei standing in the doorway.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Uh-huh," he said, unbelieving.  
  
"Really."  
  
"Sure." But he was smiling. "I just came to tell you that Maison is on his way so you'd better get cleaned up before you shock him into an early grave."  
  
Margie grinned at him, then they both looked up when Emeralda came running.   
  
"Kim! Refugees!" she announced.  
  
"I'll be there in a sec. Get the others," he ordered and the girl nodded quickly before running off. Fei turned to Margie, who was already slipping on her shoes. "We'll wait for you before we officially say they can stay, but in the meantime, we're gonna feed them."  
  
Margie nodded and he left. Margie was tying her laces and rolling down her trousers when Maison came in.  
  
"Miss Marguerite, look at you," he huffed, staring pointedly at her trousers, which were wet at the knees and her dusty blue carpenter shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "A young woman of your station shouldn't be dressed like that!"  
  
Margie snorted. She was sixteen. Shouldn't she have a say in the way she dressed. She was cleaning houses, anyway.  
  
"Come on, Maison. The refugees wont care what I'm wearing. Now let's go," she urged, pushing him out the door.  
  
"But Miss Marguerite-"  
  
"Maison, you just worry about feeding those refugees. I'll worry about the clothes I choose to wear."  
  
"Master Sigurd would not approve of this!"  
  
"I'm pretty sure he'd comment upon it, but we'll assume for now that he'd ignore the fact that I'm wearing commoner clothes."  
  
He continued protesting, but Margie shushed him with an elbow on the ribs when they got to the refugees. Maison would've quieted down when he saw _who_ had brought the refugees in, anyway.  
  
Kahran Ramsus was standing just inside the city entrance, shooting a deathglare at Fei, who was leading the refugees into an empty house. Behind him were his four usual companions, or bodyguards, depending on how you saw it. Dominia right beside him, her eyes fierce as she stared at anyone who came close. Kelvena on his other side, studying Nisan as it was being rebuilt. Probably calculating its defenses, even though Nisan wasn't their enemy anymore. Her mind was just used to working that way. Sisters Tolone and Seraphita behind, arguing as usual. Margie had never seen two sisters who were more different. Tolone was smart and tough while Seraphita was sweet and innocent. But they both had one thing in common. Their loyalty and devotion to Kahr.  
  
It was weird to see them all wearing commoner clothes instead of the Solaris uniforms they used to wear. They looked up when Margie arrived.  
  
"So... Welcome to Nisan," Margie began. She didn't know what else to say.  
  
Dominia 'hmph'ed' and looked away, but Kelvena bowed. Obviously she was the one with the manners.  
  
"Thank you, Great Mother."  
  
Margie winced at the use of the title. Kahr saw this and smiled slightly. He had always been kind to her, she remembered.  
  
"We're not here to stay," Tolone said, crossing her arms.  
  
"No, we're here to eat," Seraphita chirped. Margie had to stiffle a laugh.  
  
"Well, you are welcome to any provisions and accommodations you might need," Maison said and Margie smiled. No one could put it better than Maison.  
  
"Yeah, what he said. This way," Margie said, leading them towards the house the other refugees were in.  
  
"Actually, I need to speak with you, Marguerite," Kahr announced.  
  
"But I'm hungry," Seraphita protested.  
  
"Then you'll wait until the Commander's business is over," Tolone snapped. Margie noticed that she still used his old title.  
  
"Well, you guys can go eat while we talk," Margie suggested. Seraphita looked hopeful, but Tolone burst her bubble.  
  
"We don't need your sympathy," she snarled. She then blushed brightly when her stomach growled quite loudly.  
  
"Go eat," Kahr instructed. Tolone seemed to be about to protest again, but Maison stepped forward.  
  
"Come, my dears. I have seen that there is nothing more urgent than a young lady's hunger. Miss Marguerite has quite an appetite herself."  
  
"Maison!" Margie cried, blushing. Seraphita giggled and Kelvena smiled. Then, Maison led the sisters to a place they could get some food.  
  
"Anything else?" Margie asked, trying not to be mortified. Kelvena was whispering to Dominia and Dominia finally nodded.  
  
"Commander, it seems we need some provisions. Kelvena has voluteered to go fetch them," she informed, but she was looking at Margie when she said this. Margie took the hint and called Yui over when she saw her pass close by.  
  
"Yui here can help you with anything you might need," Margie offered.  
  
Yui nodded. "This way, please," she said kindly and Kelvena left with her. Margie then led the remaining two members of the wayward company to the Council Hall.  
  
"Wait here," Kahr ordered Dominia and she nodded, staying outside the Council Hall, which was really a large house in the middle of the city.  
  
Kahr motioned for Margie to go inside first before closing the door behind him. She made her way into the hall and walked behind the huge table everyone sat around when things needed to be planned or discussed. She sat in the biggest chair, which was the 'Head Seat' and officially her chair even though she had never used it before. It had always been her grandmother's. Sure, she'd played pretend in it when she'd been younger. But she had never sat on it for official reasons. Kahr made her feel a little nervous, so she sat on it to really look like the Great Mother instead of some regular village girl.  
  
Kahr was staring off into space, his arms crossed. She cleared her throat, bringing him back into today.  
  
"So, how can I help you?" she asked, sitting back in the cushioned chair.  
  
"I came because I need to find Zephyr. Since you know where the remains of Shevat are, I came to request you to tell us the location."  
  
"What do you want with Zephyr?"  
  
"That is confidential business."  
  
"Well then, how am I supposed to know you're going there with good intentions? I mean, no offense, but you might just want to go blow them up or something."  
  
Kahr frowned at this for a while, until she wondered if she had insulted him badly, but then he nodded. "Yes, I can see why you would suspect us, considering our past."  
  
Margie nodded, relieved he wasn't angry.  
  
"Tell you what," he said, putting his hands on the table and leaning forward. "Why don't you come with us and _show_ us where Zephyr is living at right now. If you go with us, you can keep an eye out to see that we wont do anything to threaten Zephyr's new home or her people."  
  
Margie bit her lip as she thought. Oh, it would be so good to get away from Nisan for a while. And to go see the snow! Besides, if she went with them, she could probably find out what this confidential business was all about...  
  
Margie looked up at him and smiled. "Sure I'll go! Under one condition, though."  
  
"Which is...?"  
  
She was about to answer when the door burst open, disrupting her thoughts. She looked up in annoyance at the interruption, a sharp reprimand on her tongue, when she saw who was there... and almost choked on her heart.  
  
"B-Ba-Bart...," she stammered softly, but he didn't even look at her. He was glaring at Kahr and Kahr for his part, had looked up when the door opened so suddenly and smirked when he saw who was there.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the Crown Prince of Aveh," Kahr drawled.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here, Ramsus?" Bart demanded, coming forward to stand across from Kahr. He crossed his arms and stood there, openly hostile.  
  
"Why, I just came to discuss some business with the charming Great Mother of Nisan. Can't I even do that?"  
  
"Not while I'm here, you can't! You shouldn't even be setting foot in Nisan!" Bart retorted.  
  
Margie, who until this point had been staring at Bart and contemplating whether it would be appropriate for the Great Mother to jump onto the table and throw herself into his arms, suddenly came out of her daydream as she processed what had just been said. She blinked and suddenly frowned.  
  
"Bart, I'm the one who says who can and can't come into my city," she began, but they both ignored her. Which got her more irritated.  
  
"I was discussing something with Marguerite when you burst in here and interrupted us, you little runt," Kahr said, glaring himself.  
  
"Well I'm just glad I came in here when I did! Geez, I can't believe they left her alone with the likes of you," he muttered, sending Kahr baleful looks. "I'm gonna have a serious talk with Maison..."  
  
Margie was still in her chair, starring at these two... MEN as they exchanged angry words and suddenly _she_ flushed angrily.  
  
"Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you two STOPPED TALKING ABOUT ME AS IF I WASN'T EVEN HERE!"  
  
That got their attention. They both looked at her and blinked. Margie climbed onto the table and walked across it to jump down in between Kahr and Bart. She turned to Kahr.  
  
"What's wrong, Marguerite?"  
  
"None of your business! I already told you I'd go with you. The condition I was going to tell you before I was rudely interrupted," she turned and glared at Bart, who blinked, "was that I wanted to bring some friends along."  
  
"Oh... That's fine."  
  
"No it's not!" Bart protested. "What do you mean, you're going with him?!"  
  
She turned to him with clenched teeth. "Well at least you're talking to _me_ this time!"  
  
"What's up with you?"  
  
"Oh, forget it! Kahr, we'll talk some more later," she said, before turning and stomping out of the Council Hall. Outside, Dominia stared bemusedly as Margie stalked past her.  
  
As soon as she reached the bridge, though, the anger drained out of her and she leaned forward against the ivy covered railing.  
  
Sigh, how had things gone so wrong? This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. She hadn't seen him for more than two months and what did she do as soon as she saw him? She yelled and lost her temper! She sighed, but suddenly straightened up in annoyance. Well, it was his fault! Who was he to treat her like a child! Didn't he see her as anything more than the kid he used to play with when he was little?  
  
Margie huffed and stomped away again. She needed some time to think. She was heading towards her house when she saw Fei coming.  
  
Oh, crud. The refugees!  
  
"Where have you been? We've been looking for you. Nevermind," Fei dismissed, shaking his head, "the refugees have been fed and are awaiting your statement. Oh, and have you seen Elly or Citan? Emeralda and I can't find them anywhere. And what did you do with Ramsus?"  
  
Margie stared at him and suddenly though of Elly. She would be taking her pregnancy test with Citan about now. Now what to tell Fei? The best thing to do was to distract him with something else.  
  
"I'll go talk to the refugees now, okay? While I'm doing that why don't you go check if Kahr and Bart haven't already killed each other, hmm? They're in the Council Hall." She gave him a gentle push towards said location.  
  
"Bart's here?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Fei's expression brightened. "Sure, I'll go check on them."  
  
Margie grinned as she saw him leave, then she ran towards the house the refugees were in.  
  
The refugees were a small group that consisted of men, women, a few children and the odd senior or two. They looked weak and tired, but at least they weren't hungry anymore. She gave them a friendly smile and saw some of them smile back tentatively.  
  
"I hope you had a good meal." They nodded. "Well, I, as the Great Mother of the Nisan Sect give you my permission to stay here as long as you like. You will have to work for your food and shelter, of course. I mean, we need all the extra help we can get to rebuild Nisan. Agreed?"  
  
"Agreed," they all answered.  
  
"Great! Sister Agnes will get you all places to stay in and assign you different jobs you can do after resting and getting acquainted with the city. Now that that is all settled, I've got something to take care of so I'll leave you with the Sisters."  
  
Margie waved goodbye as she left, then quickly began running towards the house Citan had turned into a small clinic. They had to be there. She was just turning the last corner when she crashed into someone hard enough to land on her rump painfully.  
  
"Geez, Margie. What's the big hurry?"  
  
She looked up to see she had crashed into Billy and he was on the ground, too.  
  
"Oh gosh, sorry," she apologized, getting up and dusting off her trousers. "It's just that I was heading over to Citan's to... to..." Oh darn, she didn't have an excuse for him.  
  
"Yeah, well if you're looking for Elly, she's not at the clinic. I just checked."  
  
"Huh?" she blinked.  
  
"Yeah, I was just there-"  
  
"Is Citan there, though?" she interrupted.  
  
"What? Yeah, he's there. Fei sent me to find them both. Said he hadn't seen Elly all day and was a bit worried."  
  
Margie nodded. "Yeah, um, I'm gonna go talk to Citan," she said, hurrying to the clinic. Billy quickly got up and followed her.  
  
"I just talked to him and he said she left the clinic half an hour ago. What's wrong with Elly? She sick?" Billy asked, suddenly worried. "Citan didn't want to tell me."  
  
"We'll see right now," Margie said, knocking on the front door. ~God, please let Elly be pregnant~ she prayed. She opened her eyes when Citan opened the door.  
  
"Something wrong, Margie?" he asked when he saw her pale face.  
  
"No, I just wanted to know if Elly was... well... you know... please tell me!"  
  
"Ah, so she told you about her suspicions, did she?" He smiled, reaching up to straighten his glasses. "Well, you'll be glad to know that she is," Citan said, then chuckled when Margie let out a loud whoop and threw her arms around him. She then proceded to jump on Billy, nearly knocking him down.  
  
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" she cheered, grabbing Billy's hands and twirling in a circle. "Oh Citan, this is great! Where's Elly? We need to congratulate her!"  
  
"Like I told Billy a moment ago, she left here about half an hour ago. She could be anywhere, although my guess is that she went to tell Fei."  
  
"Tell Fei what?" Billy asked. "What are you guys talking about?"  
  
"No, she couldn't have gone to him. He and Bart are probably off somewhere catching up," Margie said.  
  
"Bart's here? Why am I always the last one to find out about these things," Billy sighed.  
  
"Well, we'll find her. Thanks for telling me Citan!" Margie yelled as she ran down the road, pulling Billy behind her. Citan chuckled again as he heard Billy asking her what she was so happy about.  
  
Now, until Fei found out the good news...  
  
  
  
Once again, to be continued...  
  
  
Author's Notes: Okay people, you know the drill. Review please if you want me to continue. Thanks! ^_~ 


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Note: I apologize for this chapter's shortness, but it was all I had time for. You guys should be thankful I update so often. ^_~ Anyway, this is rated pg-13 because of one swear word in the end. Hopefully, no one will be offended.  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft yada, yada, yada...  
  
  
  
Chapter Three  
  
It was nearing sunset by the time Margie and Billy finally found Elly. She was sitting on a rock close to the edge of the lake that surrounded Nisan and had the same dreamy look on her face Margie had seen before.  
  
"What's up with her?" Billy whispered as they watched her from behind a tree.  
  
"She's happy," Margie whispered back.  
  
"Hey, who're you guys hiding from?"  
  
Margie jumped up in surprise and turned to see Dan and Midori had sneaked up on them. Dan grinned at her reaction.  
  
"We're not hiding from anyone,"Margie protested.  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
Billy glanced at Margie and saw the look she pointedly gave him. Loosely translated, it meant that she really needed to talk to Elly without these young eavesdroppers nearby. He sighed dejectedly.  
  
"Alright, look, I'll get rid of the twerps but you owe me an explanation and a favor," he whispered to her with a frown.  
  
Margie grinned. "You're a sweet one."  
  
Billy snorted at her comment before turning to the kids. "Okay, come on guys, let's go ask the Sisters if you can take a swim in the lake."  
  
Margie looked on as they walked away and suddenly thought of something. "Billy, can I ask you one more favor? Call everyone and tell them we're having dinner at my house. I need to talk to them."  
  
He gave her a puzzled look, but nodded.  
  
Margie turned back to Elly and saw that Elly had noticed they had been hiding behind the tree. She was smiling.  
  
"So you saw us?" Margie asked sheepishly, walking over to where Elly was sitting on a small boulder.  
  
"Yeah, I heard you whispering," Elly said. "I've got pretty sharp ears." Then suddenly, there were tears in her cerulean eyes. "Oh Margie. I'm gonna be a mom!"  
  
"Yeah, I know! Citan told me!"  
  
"Oh God, how is Fei going to take this?"  
  
"He'll be really happy! He'll love the baby as much as he loves you!"  
  
Elly nodded and took a deep breath. "You're right."  
  
"Of course I'm right! Now come on, you gotta tell Fei. We'll have dinner at my place with the whole gang."  
  
Elly looked horrified. "I can't tell him in front of everyone!"  
  
"You don't have to. Just tell him first and when he faints, you can explain to everyone _why_ he fainted."  
  
Elly laughed and took Margie's hand, pulling her down to sit on the grass beside her. "Now what happened with you? I heard Bart was back and I would think you'd be with him."  
  
Margie groaned. "I would be. If he hadn't put his fat foot in his mouth."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Margie sighed and pulled her knees up to her chin. "When he came, I was in the Council Hall with Kahr."  
  
"Oh yes, I heard he came too. I haven't even seen him because of... well, the news."  
  
"Yeah, well Bart found us talking and made a big deal because I was there alone with the guy! Like if I don't know how to take care of myself," she grumbled sullenly.  
  
"He was just worried, Margie."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. But I didn't like the way he handled what he considered a problem. Like if I was some kind of kid. Geez, I'm sixteen! When will he start looking at me that way?!"   
  
"I don't know, Margie. Maybe you should tell him how you feel."  
  
"Oh, dont worry. I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind. He'll certainly know how I feel," Margie growled menacingly.  
  
Elly laughed again. "Well, let's go eat, okay? I'm starving."  
  
"And you need to eat for two now."  
  
They stood up and and slowly walked to Margie's house, enjoying the silence. Margie noticed that most people had stopped their work for today to go eat dinner with their families. But as they got closer to her house, they heard the ruckus coming from inside. When the whole gang got together, it got noisy.  
  
They went in through the door to see everyone around the long table, helping with setting out the plates and serving the food Yui lovingly made. Maria and Primera were her assistants in cooking, both girls wearing food-stained aprons. Primera looked like she especially enjoyed the chore. She had been young when her mother had been murdered and she seemed to enjoy the maternal attention Yui gave her. Hard, cold Jessie watched his daughter work with a fond smile...  
  
Fei greeted them as soon as they stepped in and Elly smiled at him adoringly, luring a smile out of him in return.   
  
Margie smiled and looked away just in time to see Sigurd coming toward her. She couldn't help grinning happily as she saw him. She walked forward to wrap her arms around him tightly.  
  
"Oh Sig, you don't know how much I missed you," she whispered into his ear, the commotion around them going on, unabated.  
  
"And I you, Miss Marguerite," he murmured back, giving her a tight squeeze.  
  
"Hey, how come I didn't get a hug?"  
  
Margie looked up from Sigurd's shoulder and frowned at Bart, who was standing close by with his arms crossed.  
  
"You didn't deserve one. Not the way you barged in like that and started taking over without asking me."  
  
"Oh, well excuse me if I decided to worry myself about your safety," he retorted and Margie was about to answer back when Sigurd intervened.  
  
"Come on, you two. This is supposed to be a happy reunion."  
  
"Yeah, well Bart should learn to think before he opens his mouth."  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Again Margie was interrupted from a sharp answer when she saw Elly pulling Fei into the room they shared when they stayed in Nisan. Elly looked up right before she went in and Margie gave her a thumbs up sign for encouragement.  
  
Bart muttered darkly under his breath and suddenly grabbed Margie's hand, pulling her upstairs, making Margie blink in surprise.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To your room. You're too distracted down here and we need to talk."  
  
"About what, exactly?" Margie queried as Bart opened the door to her room and pulled her in, closing it behind them.   
  
He didn't answer. Instead he frowned and began pacing restlessly in the small space of her room.  
  
Margie studied him and then crossed her arms, a seious expression on her normally cheerful face. Something was obviously bothering him big-time. Choosing to be her usual blunt self, she asked, "What do we need to talk about?"  
  
"About the fact that you're leaving Nisan with Ramsus and going God knows where without even consulting me," he finally accused.  
  
"And since when do I need to ask you're permission?!"  
  
"I didn't say that. I just wish you had talked to me before making that decision."  
  
"Bart, I know what I'm doing. I'm not a child anymore."  
  
"Obviously," he muttered, glancing up to give her an intense look, before turning back to study her rug. She was forced to swallow. "It's just that... I... I don't like Ramsus much."  
  
Margie stared at him as he fumbled, as he tried to find the right words, and her eyes softened. Like Elly had told her, he'd been worried, and this was the best way he could express his feelings. So she decided to do what she had been aching to do the whole day. She went over and sank into his arms. And sighed happily when he hugged her back.  
  
"You're so stupid, I chose to take pity on you," she teased, but her heart was pounding painfully in her chest. God, she had missed him. His voice, his smile, his sense of humor, the way he made her more angry than anyone else could. "I missed you," she whispered as his arms tighened around her.  
  
"Yeah, me too."  
  
"Well you sure didn't act like it earlier."  
  
"Are we going back to that," he groaned.  
  
"No," she said, pulling away to smile up at him. "You're off the hook. But next time you decide to pay a visit, talk to me before you start yelling at my guests."  
  
"Scout's honor," he promised. "I hereby swear never to yell at your guests again without at least saying hi to you first."  
  
She frowned at him and he grinned before they were both surprised by a loud, happy yell coming from downstairs.  
  
"What's up with Fei?" Bart wondered, and mentally kicked himself for asking (without really knowing the reason why) as Margie pulled away from him to open the door and stare down at the commotion downstairs. He sighed and followed her, peeking over her shoulder to see.   
  
Fei and Elly were surrounded. Elly was crying as she was hugged by everyone and Fei had this stupid, dazed grin on his face. He didn't even notice people were patting him on the back. Bart frowned, wondering what was up.  
  
"So she told him," Margie whispered, smiling happily.  
  
"What's going on? Why's Elly crying? She told him what, Margie?" Bart asked, heading downstairs. But Margie only laughed and ran ahead of him to join the group around Elly, wo had stopped crying and was now smiling.  
  
Bart shook his head and decided to go ask Fei what the commotion was all about. When he was close enough, Fei seemed to suddenly come out of his daze and began laughing. "I'm gonna be a dad!"  
  
That stopped Bart right in his tracks and he stared at Fei, then turned to stare at Elly.  
  
"Well, no shit." And he began laughing, too.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
*Sorry about the one cuss word, but I think it was the only thing Bart could say in the situation. Hope you guys didn't mind. ;) Don't forget to review!* 


	4. No title for this one either...

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you all for the reviews. Don't know where I'd be without 'em. :) Now on to ch. 4!  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears is the sole property of Squaresoft.   
  
  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Once everyone had congratulated Fei and Elly and the sumptious dinner had been consumed, Jessie managed to find a bottle of wine Margie hadn't even known she had in her house. All of them had a drink. Even Dan and Midori had a small sip before making disgusted faces. After the bottle was empty (which didn't take long, considering sixteen people each took a small amount), Margie made them all sit down at the table and listen to her.  
  
She stood in front of them and noticed that all their eyes were focused on her. Nervousness hit for one sweaty moment, but she forced it down and began.  
  
"As most of you already know, Kahran Ramsus arrived in Nisan today with a group of refugees. Gladly we took those refugees in, but that wasn't the only reason he came. Seems he has some business he needs to take care of with Zephyr, and since I know where the remains of Shevat are, he asked me about its whereabouts." Margie stopped and sighed when Fei, Maison and Sigurd began asking the question she knew they were bound to ask. "No, of course I didn't tell him where it was! I'm not stupid." They sat back down with combined looks of relief and shame on their faces. She shook her head at them and continued. "When I didn't tell him the location, he suggested I go with them to show him where Shevat is at. So I said I would."   
  
This time everyone began talking at once. Margie sighed again and crossed her arms, waiting for them to settle down. Finally Bart put his fingers in his mouth and gave a loud whistle that got everyone's attention.  
  
"Everyone! Quiet down! Let Margie finish! If she agreed to do this, that's her decision and we should all be fair and listen to her reasons for accepting to do this," he announced and everyone turned back to Margie. Her eyes locked with his for a moment and she gave him a small, grateful smile that spoke volumes and made him blush in confusion. Why should her face affect him so much?  
  
"Well said, young master," Maison cheered.  
  
"The young one is right," Citan agreed. "I believe we did not let Marguerite finish explaining her plans. We should trust that she has thought this through."  
  
"Well then, come on girl, spit it out," Jessie urged. "No need to keep us in suspense."  
  
Margie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, as I was saying...  
  
"Kahr wouldn't reveal what business he had with Zephyr and that is one of the reasons I'm going. Maybe I can get it out of him before we get to Shevat. If I can't, then maybe Zephyr will tell me. Besides which, I want to see Zephyr and see how the rebuilding is coming along." ~Not to mention see the snow, have some free time to myself...~ but she didn't say these things out loud.  
  
Everyone began murmuring amongst themselves again until Sigurd spoke up.   
  
"Miss Marguerite, you aren't seriously planning on going by yourself? Someone should surely go with you. At least, as a proper escort."  
  
At this, voices rose again in agreement. Margie quieted them down by banging an empty iron mug on the table.  
  
"People! People! Of course I'm taking a group along with me. Well, that is, as long as they _agree_ to come with me." She glanced around at the room. "I was planning on asking Citan and Jessie to come along for their expertise on Shevat and because they're a part of it's Council. If the Queen doesn't reveal anything, I'll make you guys spill it." Citan blinked at this and Margie laughed. "Just kidding, Citan. I wouldn't do that. But I _do_ want you to keep an eye out for anything I might need to know. You guys are still trusted advisors of Nisan, after all. I also wanted to ask Fei and Elly to go with me but, well, with the recent happy announcement," Elly blushed, "it's up to you two to decide what's best. It's okay if you don't come, but I'd rather have you guys with me. Maria you're welcome to come, too. In fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't. I'm sure you want to see all the people in your hometown." Maria nodded eagerly, her dark green eyes lighting up happily.  
  
"Chu-Chu go too! Chu-Chu go too!" a little pink furball cried from somewhere in the room and then rolled over to Margie, hugging her legs.  
  
"Yes Chu-Chu, I didn't plan on leaving you behind. Next I wanted to ask the huge favor of either Bart or Sigurd to take us to Shevat on the Yggdrassil, since Gears aren't allowed there anymore. If either of you guys could be spared, I'd really be grateful." She gave them a pleading look and they both smiled. "Oh, and we have to pass by Kislev and pick up Rico. Since this _is_ a diplomatic thing I'm sure he'd like to come along, too."  
  
The noise began as everyone dicussed her plan and she shouted over the noise. "I want all of you to think about it tonight. If anyone else wants to come, just talk to me. Thank you all for listening, but now I'm going to take a walk. I need to think. Oh, and thanks Yui for the wonderful dinner."  
  
Yui smiled sweetly as Margie waved at her and went out the door into the night air outside. She sighed and realized that her nervousness had pretty much disappeared. Had it been when Bart had talked on her behalf? For once, he must've paid attention to what she'd said.   
  
Smiling, she began walking aimlessly, her hands in her pockets and just enjoyed the calm that came after dark when everyone was inside their houses enjoying their dinner and being among family. Crickets filled the quiet with their song and the faint breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and the bushes. A perfect night. Margie stopped at the bridge that was covered in ivy and leaned against the railing once again as she stared up at the clear sky. Midnight blue with a scattering of stars.  
  
Nisan... her homeland... The city and its people she was now responsible of. The thought left her shaken and sad. Shaken because she had never really prepared for this. Her grandmother had been the Great Mother for the past decades which meant that Margie's mother had been next in line. And that meant that Margie had never really gotten any serious training in this ruling stuff. She had always had a very normal childhood. Of course, she had known that someday she would become the Great Mother herself, but back then she had thought that that was so far off. So had everyone. No one could have forseen that Shakhan would murder both her mother and her grandmother...  
  
Margie's eyes stung, so she closed them. But she couldn't close off the aching in her heart. Sad, heavens so sad, because deep in her heart she had never wanted this. She loved Nisan, but...  
  
"I've seen that look in the young master's face often enough to recognize it by now. You are unhappy, Marguerite?"  
  
Margie opened her eyes and turned to stare at Sigurd, who was standing a few feet away. He came forward slowly and she wrapped her arms around him gratefully, the show of affection making her shield waver enough that she began sobbing on his shoulder. He hugged her with one arm and smoothed back her hair with his free hand.  
  
"What is it, Margie?" he whispered in concern, using her petname which he hardly ever used. "What's got you so sad? You can tell me."  
  
Could she really? Could she tell him that she was so unhappy with being the Great Mother that she used any chance she could to get out of Nisan and try to have a life of her own? One that didn't involve all these responsibilities and worries and stress? When was the last time she had done something without having to worry about how it would affect Nisan or the people?  
  
And when she thought of telling Sigurd that, she felt the guilt swamp her. It was her responsibility, what everyone expected of her. What would her grandma and mom say if they saw how she was behaving? Like a spoiled brat. She had known her future was planned since she'd been born. No matter how hard she wished it otherwise, this was her life.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong, Sig," Margie sniffled, pulling away from him. "I guess I just needed to cry a little. It does happen a lot when you're a girl my age, you know." Sigurd frowned in disbelief.   
  
Margie wiped her face and laughed shakily. "Don't worry Sig. I'm okay, really I am. I guess everything just overwhelmed me all of a sudden," she insisted, turning away. She hated lying to him and she was aware that he didn't really believe her. But she also knew that he wouldn't push the issue further. And she loved him for that.  
  
"Okay, Margie. We'll leave it at that. But you know you can talk to me whenever something's botheing you. We're friends after all, right?" She looked at him and gave him a watery smile. "Good. Anyway, I just came to tell you that Bart will be the one to go with you on your trip with Khar. The Yggdrassil is ready whenever you need it."  
  
"Oh Sig, thar's great!" Margie exclaimed clapping her hands. Then she threw her arms around him again, but this time to land a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks! I knew you'd come through for me! Where's Bart? I need to thank him, too!"  
  
"He's in your house talking to Fei and Elly. Everyone else already left."  
  
"Thanks Sig. See you later!" she called over her shoulder as she ran off toward her house. She was considerably more cheerful. Now that she knew she was going. And with Bart... Well, it made her glad.  
  
Margie arrived at her house to find Bart sitting on one of the chairs by the table, staring off into space as he tipped his chair back and played with something in his hands. He was alone. Feeling more mischievous than she had in ages, she decided to surprise him. She tiptoed over to him slowly. He didn't see her until she stood right next to him (slightly behind him actually...) and she leaned over, getting in the way of his view of the ceiling. Bart let out a yelp and lost his balance, crashing to the floor with the chair. Margie laughed as he got up angrily.  
  
"Now you've done it," he hissed through clenched teeth. "You probably woke up Elly with all that noise and Fei went to so much trouble to get her to sleep."  
  
"Hey, I'm not the one that fell."  
  
"No, but you caused me to fall. Just for that I think I wont give you guys a ride on my ship anymore," he declared, glaring. Margie just grinned at him and suddenly noticed that he had something in his hand. He seemed to notice at the same time too and tried to put it away, but she managed to grab a hold of his hand before he could stuff it in his vest. Then the tug-of-war began.  
  
"What are you trying to hide from me?" Tug.  
  
"Nothing." Tug.  
  
"What is it?" Tug.  
  
"None of your business." Tug.  
  
"Come on! Let me see!"  
  
"No! Now let go!"  
  
"Not until you let me see!"  
  
"Margie, would you quit being so nosy!"  
  
"I'm not being nosy! I just wanna see! Let me see!"  
  
"That's being nosy! Now let go before I deck you!"  
  
"You wouldn't dare try to hit me! You know I'd beat the living daylights out of you!"  
  
"Since when?!"  
  
"Since always! Now let me see before I really get angry!"  
  
"Margie, let go!"  
  
"Um... You guys...." A new voice.  
  
"Bart! Come on! Let me see! What kind of childhood best friend are you if you don't even trust me?!"  
  
"...You guys...?"  
  
"It's not about trust! I'll just show it to you later."  
  
"You two?" Sigh.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise! Geez, what else do you want? A pinky swear?"  
  
"Ahem!" A cleared throat.  
  
"It might help," Margie said and giggled wickedly when Bart rolled his eyes. Then she finally glanced at Billy who was standing in the doorway. "Sorry, Billy. What's up?"  
  
Bart sighed and sat down in his straightened chair before putting the very precious item away in the inner pocket of his vest.   
  
Billy, who had seen most of the argument, shook his head at the way these two seemed to handle their problems. "I just came over to tell you that since dad's going with you, Prim wants to go, too. And since Prim's going, I'll be coming along also."  
  
"That's great Billy!" Margie cheered.   
  
Billy blushed at her show of enthusiasm and fervently wished that his complexion wasn't so pale. It was so embarassing to blush at everything this over-emotional friend of his did to show her affection. He wasn't used to having friends who cared for him as much as he had now. People who worried about him. Usually, it was he who worried about everyone else.  
  
He nodded hurriedly at Margie and then noticed the raised eyebrow'd look Bart was giving him. He glared at the impish gleam in the pirate's eye before turning back to Margie. Bart chuckled under his breath at the guy's reaction. Getting on each other's nerves was a habit practiced whenever they saw each other.   
  
"So anyway, I just wanted to tell you that," Billy continued as his blush disappeared.  
  
"Great, Billy. I'm glad you're going. Just wait, we'll have the biggest snowball fight ever! We'll drag everyone in, even Rico!"  
  
Billy grinned, her cheerfulness contagious, while Bart winced as he got a mental image of Rico throwing a snowball the size of his torso at Bart with the pretense that it was part of the game. He could still remember how the half-blood had reacted when he'd found out that Bart was the one that had shot down the Goliath. Better not tempt the ex-battling champ with a chance to cause Bart some pain.  
  
"Sounds like fun, Margie. I'm sure Prim'll have fun, too. She needed to get out and have a few carefree afternoons, anyway," Billy shrugged with a smile.  
  
~Don't we all~ Margie thought. "Don't worry, Billy. We'll make that girl laugh all day," Margie promised. Then she got up and began pushing both men towards the door. "Now you guys go get some sleep. God knows I'll need the rest. Tomorrow's planning is going to be hectic."  
  
And she kicked them both out and shut the door in their faces, ignoring their protests that came through the closed door. She began cleaning up the common room as quietly as possible and could still hear them outside. If she knew them at all, she'd bet they were arguing in an attempt to figure out who's fault it was that they'd been kicked out.  
  
Grinning, she yawned and stretched, loosening her bound up hair as she headed for the bliss that was a soft bed after a tiring day.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*Just a reminder that you review please. =]*   



	5. Chapter Five

Author's Note: Gomen nasai! Sorry this took me so long to put out! My computer's been acting like a real bit**, though.   
Sigh... Anyway, please do not be discouraged people! After you read this, please don't think that I'll just leave it like that! Okay? Okay.  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears and all its characters belong to Squaresoft. This story is mine, though.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Five  
  
The next day was as hectic as Margie had predicted.  
  
She was woken up at the crack of dawn by none other than Sister Agnes. The nun knocked on her door loudly. "Margie, it's time to get up."  
  
Margie groaned and opened her eyes blearily. When she saw that the morning was still grey and noticeably lacking sunlight, she growled and rolled over to lie on her stomach, closing her eyes again.   
  
Ten minutes later the bloody knocking came again.   
  
"Margie, get up if you plan on leaving today. Things need to be arranged."  
  
So Margie did the only normal thing. She reached down blindly (her face still half buried in her pillow), picked up one of her discarded boots and chucked it at the door where it hit with a loud bang and surprising accuracy. She sighed when the knocking stopped.  
  
Five minutes later, the door opened and a rude hand began shaking her shoulder. "Margie, wake up. There are things that need to be done. Now hurry up."  
  
Margie ignored the order and continued sleeping blissfully. Or at least tried to. SOMEONE just wouldn't let her.  
  
"Margie, get your lazy butt up! Now!"  
  
The religious Great Mother of the Nisan Sect shook her head and swore something into her pillow that would've made even Jessie's eyebrows rise in surprise.  
  
"If you don't get up right now, I'm gonna force you out of that bed!"  
  
Something that could be passed as a snort came from Margie's pillow.  
  
"Alright, you asked for it..."  
  
Margie was having a nice dream. She was lying in a field full of wildflowers. The scents tickled her nose and she stretched like a cat in the warmth of the sunlight. It felt wonderful. Then she felt like she was being lifted. Floating in the air. She smiled and curled up in the gentle grip, sighing.  
  
Then suddenly, an ocean hit her.  
  
Margie shot up, wide awake, choking and sputtering. She blinked and tried to inhale, her body completely drenched in lukewarm water.  
  
"I warned you, but you wouldn't listen."  
  
She wiped her dripping hair out of her eyes and looked up to see Bart standing there, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Curiously, he was also blushing.  
  
She glared balefully when she realized that he'd carried her from her room into the bathroom, then dropped her into the semi-full bathtub.  
  
"You... You... You great pile of dog sh-"  
  
"Hey, that's not the type of language the Great Mother of Nisan should say," Bart protested, shushing her with a finger to her lips. Her eyes widened and she blushed when he did that, but he surmised it to be from anger. And after she shook herself out and stood up with murder in her eyes, he nodded to himself while he backed off. Yup, definitely anger. He then took off running with a seething Margie right behind him.  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
Elly sighed and snuggled in closer to a sleeping Fei. A smile lit up her features and for a moment she laid there in bed in perfect contentment. But that was rudely interrupted when she heard running footsteps and a shriek of rage coming from upstairs.   
  
Fei immediately woke up and was on his feet in an instant, his reflexes as sharp as ever. "What was that?" he asked, looking around, his body tensed for battle.  
  
"I don't know," Elly said, throwing off the covers and sliding her bare feet to the floor. "Maybe-"  
  
"What are you doing?" Fei demanded.  
  
She blinked. "Um, getting up to go see what's wrong...?"  
  
His eyes narrowed. "No," he began slowly. "You're staying right there in bed and you're not gonna move till I say so. You're in no condition."  
  
Elly's eyebrows had risen as he spoke and she shook her head by the time he finished. "Okay love, now I'm sure you've lost it." They heard the commotion right outside their door and suddenly their was the crash of china. "I'm gonna be getting up now."  
  
With that said, she went over to the door and pulled it open as Fei protested behind her. "Wait Elly! You don't know what could be out there! Hold on dammit!"  
  
Elly stared, transfixed, and Fei came to a ragged stop beside her when they saw what was in the common room.  
  
A very wet and enraged Margie was chasing after Bart, screaming obscenities at him while he apparently ran for his own personal safety. As the pirate passed by their startled expressions, he shot them a grin that said everything was under control. Then he winced when Margie grabbed another of the plates that had been left on the table and pitched it in his general direction. It barely missed him by a few inches and broke on the wall as he dodged out of the way and continued running.  
  
"What in the world..." Elly wondered out loud. But Fei only shook his head.   
  
"Children," he muttered under his breath. "Don't worry about it, love. He probably just pushed her into the lake."  
  
Elly nodded slowly as he pulled her back into their room and closed the door behind them.  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
Hours later, Margie was still making all the arrangements that needed to be done for her departure. She could not believe the pile of paperwork the Sisters had ready for her. Lists of refugees, plans for new homes, shops, restaurants and probably a school for the tons of kids that had seemed to pop up overnight. Orders for wood, cement and other building supplies needed to be made and houses needed to be assigned to the people Khar had brought in. More crops needed to be planted since they couldn't completely rely on trade with Aveh. Bledavik was in a tight situation of its own.   
  
All these papers needed to be signed so the city could survive the time she'd be gone. Since Nisan was being rebuilt, things were more crazy than usual. Luckily, Elly helped her a lot. The people loved as much as they did Margie, if not more so (reincarnation of Sophia and all). She was priceless to the swamped Great Mother.  
  
Since Elly and Fei had decided to go with her, Sister Agnes would be in charge while they were gone. Margie wrote up a list of things that needed to be done within the week. So many things... More than once, she almost decided not to go, but Sister Agnes reasurred her everything would be okay.  
  
By four o'clock almost everything was done and Margie was just taking a breather from the work by relaxing in one of the comfy stuffed chairs in the common room of her house. All the mess from the fight that morning had been cleaned up earlier. Margie grinned as she remembered finally catching up to Bart and tackling him down in a move she knew he regretted teaching her now. They'd landed on the floor and she had sat on him while he laughed underneath. Then she had grabbed his braid and had threaten to hack it off if he didn't apologize to her. He hadn't believed her either, until she had pulled out the small knife she always carried with her ever since she'd been kidnapped so many months ago. He'd apologized, alright.  
  
Margie dozed off while she sat there, a smile on her face and that's how Bart found her. He stopped in the doorway and just stared at her for a moment, her face serenely peaceful. He hadn't been able to see much of her this morning and as he gazed at her, he remembered the way she'd made him blush that morning. While he had been carrying her, she had nestled in closer in his arms and had murmured his name against his neck. He had been so shocked that he had dropped her in the bathtub after that. Not that he hadn't planned on doing that, because he had. It's just that her actions had made him falter in... surprise, yeah that was it. The damn girl was doing this to him too much.  
  
Now, he looked at what he held in his hands and sighed. He had brought her a little something. A whole Chiffon Nisan. He knew she'd probably be tired after all the things that needed doing. A little sweetness was just what was recommended.   
  
He walked into her house slowly (Margie always left her door wide open throughout the day) and debated on rousing her up or not. The choice was made for him when she stirred in her sleep and woke up. She opened her sapphire eyes slowly and blinked at him. They stared at each other for awhile before she finally spoke. "I had this dream that I lopped off your braid while you were sleeping."  
  
He frowned and shook his head. "I better sleep with my eye open from now on," he muttered and she laughed. He sat down on the stuffed chair across from her and set the white box on the table between them.  
  
"Ooh, what's this?" she asked, sitting up and looking at the box curiously.  
  
"A peace offering. It can count as an apology, too."  
  
She shook her head as she reached over to open the box. "Bart, you didn't need to do that. We've already settled- CHIFFON NISAN?!"  
  
He grinned at her reaction and she looked up at him with wide eyes. "Where'd you get this? I thought since the bakery burned down, no one knew the recipe anymore."  
  
"I asked around. I finally found the only person besides the late baker who knows how to make a delicious Chiffon Nisan cake. Yui."  
  
"Yui? Of course it would be Yui. She can cook anything. Hold on, I'll be right back," she said before jumping up and running towards the kitchen. She came back with a couple of plates, forks and a knife.  
  
"This is so great, you being able to get this. I haven't eaten one of these cakes since forever," she told him as she sliced the cake up (and I wont describe it cause it'll just make you people hungry ^_^). She served him a big slice and took one for herself.   
  
She took a careful forkful and then closed her eyes as she put it in her mouth. "Hmm," she sighed in pleasure, savoring the bite.  
  
Bart blushed and forced himself to focus on his own plate. It was kinda hard.  
  
Margie was only halfway through her slice when Dan came rushing in, out of breath.  
  
"A fight! A fight, Margie!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Maria and one of them girls that came with Ramsus are about to exchange blows in the square! Come on!"  
  
Margie and Bart immediately got up and followed the kid outside. He led them through the sparse crowd of the streets and over to where a group of people were gathered in a circle. Dan slowed down and made his way into the circle by crawling under peoples legs. Margie and Bart didn't have such capabilities. But they could hear the argument.  
  
"-and I don't know why you're saying that!" Maria's voice, loud and surprisingly angry.  
  
"Because it's true! If you've got a problem with me little girl, make it clear right now!" Tolone's usually angry voice. But this time it had a different quality to it.  
  
Margie pushed through the small crowd that was steadily growing. When she got in the middle, she saw the girls standing across from each other, glaring hatefully. Tolone's hands were on her hips and she was leaning forward menacingly. Maria's hands were clenched into fists and her face was flushed angrily. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.   
  
Citan, Billy, Emeralda and Kelvena were also there. So were Prim and Midori, the older girl holding onto the younger one's hand. They both looked kinda scared.  
  
"Hey, what's going on here?!" Margie finally demanded.  
  
"The Shevat girl has a problem with us staying here," Tolone snapped, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"I didn't say anything!" Maria flared.  
  
"You didn't have to! It was so obvious from the looks you've been shooting us since we got here! You were doing it again right now!" Tolone retorted.  
  
"Well, what did you want me to do, Solarian?!" Maria spat the last word out. "Welcome you with open arms?! Is that what you expected?!"  
  
"Quiet, both of you!" Citan ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. "This is no way to be behaving!"  
  
Maria frowned and lifted her chin up a bit, while Tolone crossed her arms and looked away crossly.  
  
"Citan's right," Margie agreed. "We're not enemies anymore. I thought we had that settled?"  
  
Maria looked at the ground. "I know," she whispered. "I know. But I can't forget what happened to my father..."  
  
She looked up and gave Margie an apologetic glance before running off through the crowd.  
  
"Come on, Tolone," Kelvena urged softly, pulling on her friends arm. "Let's go find the others."  
  
Tolone nodded and began leaving, but not before sending one last glance over her shoulder in the direction Maria had gone to. Her eyes were tinged with... what? Sorrow? Regret? Margie couldn't tell.  
  
The crowd began dispersing, except for the few that stayed behind. Margie sighed and shook her head sadly.  
  
"It's what was expected, Marguerite," Citan reassured, patting her shoulder.  
  
"I know, Citan. I was wondering when she'd finally let her feelings show. I knew she was hurting inside."  
  
"Where Maria go to?" Emeralda asked, a little shaken from all the emotions she had just been witness to.  
  
"Somewhere to vent her feelings at," Bart told her. Emeralda frowned a little at this, then nodded.  
  
"Doctor Uzuki, you go after Tolone and Kelvena. Talk to them, please?" Margie pleaded. "I don't want them to feel bitter about this. In the meantime, I'll go after Maria. I'm sure she'll need to talk to someone. Bart, you go with him."  
  
They both nodded slowly and left in the direction the girls had gone to.  
  
"Billy, you take the kids back home, okay?"  
  
"Are you sure? Wouldn't you rather me go with you?" Billy asked, concern in his aqua eyes as they shifted towards the lake where Maria had most likely gone to.  
  
"No, Billy. You take the kids back."  
  
"Alright. I hope she's okay, though."  
  
"Don't worry about it. We'll take care of her. Come on, Em," Margie called as she began walking. Emeralda nodded and quickly followed her.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*So people... What'd you think? Too much? Review and let me know!* ^_^(mokona) 


	6. Um... Chapter Six I guess...

Author's Note: Latest installment! Do I hear cheering? No? Damn. Oh well... Anyway, enjoy!  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft (I get so tired of admitting that...).  
  
  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Maria wasn't by the lake. She wasn't in her room, or in any of the other houses. She wasn't anywhere in the city, it seemed. Margie started getting worried. Could she have gotten her Seibzehn and left by herself? Not likely, but well... who knew?  
  
"Margie!"  
  
She turned and saw Emeralda running toward her. "Did you find her?"  
  
"Yes. She's in the cathedral. Just standing there," Emeralda informed her, the nanomachine girl slightly worried.  
  
"Come on, Em."  
  
"Right."  
  
They made their way towards the cathedral, which was just as visited as ever. People came in all the time and prayed to ease their hearts as they always had. As Margie stepped in, the image of the cathedral floor littered with the bodies of the wounded and suffering overcame her. Once again, she could almost smell the blood...  
  
"Margie?"  
  
She blinked and shook her head to get the images out. Then she looked up at Emeralda's concerned face.  
  
"Uh, yeah, where is she?"  
  
"She's up there by the library."  
  
Margie nodded and both girls headed upstairs through the side door.  
  
Maria was leaning forward on the railing of the catwalk and was staring at the statues of the single-winged angels. The other two approached her slowly.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Margie," Maria suddenly said quietly, not even turning around. "I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't mean to start fighting with them, really I didn't. It's just that everytime I saw them, I remembered what the Solarians did to Dad..."  
  
Margie walked over and stood next to her, facing the statues, too. "It's okay, Maria. I understand," Margie reassured softly. Then her voice hardened. "If I ever saw that bastard Shakhan's worthless butt again, I'd probably go after him with my knife alone to disembowel him."  
  
"I understand, too," Emeralda spoke up, coming closer to stand on Maria's other side. "I would crush whoever hurt Kim. Or Elly."  
  
"Yeah," Maria nodded. "But the problem is that those girls weren't the ones that took my Dad away from me. They had nothing to do with it except for the fact that they're from Solaris. That wasn't fair."  
  
Margie turned and smiled at her. "At least you realized that, right?"  
  
"Yeah. I should apologize to them..."  
  
"Good girl. Now come on, let's head back. The others were worried and we should go tell them you're okay."  
  
"They were worried?" Maria turned and stared at her wide eyed.  
  
"Yeah. Billy wanted to come along."  
  
Maria's eyes widened even more (if that was possible) and she blushed a brilliant shade of crimson. "Wh-Wha- He?" She stopped and cleared her throat before trying again. "He wanted to come?" she finally squeaked.  
  
Margie looked at her and nodded. "Yeah. He said he hoped you were okay."  
  
Maria swallowed. Hard. "Billy said that?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Now come on, let's go. I still have so much planning to do," Margie urged, pulling on Maria's hand. She reached for Emeralda's hand, but before she could take it, the emerald-haired girl went over to Maria and awkwardly gave her a hug. The other two blinked.  
  
"What was that for, Em?" Maria asked softly as Emeralda pulled away.  
  
"I don't know," Emeralda shrugged. "It is just something that I have seen Margie do. You looked like you needed it. You are my friend, after all."  
  
Maria smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Em."  
  
Emeralda nodded solemnly and walked away, leaving the other two behind to exchange proud smiles.  
  
*************************************************  
  
  
"Are you sure you have everything you'll need? Enough sweaters?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Scarves?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Gloves and enough socks?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"How about your coat? And boots? Did you pack those?"  
  
Sigh. "Yes, I packed them."  
  
"Well, you can never be too prepared, you know."  
  
"I know. You've already triple-checked my suitcases haven't you?"  
  
"Yes, but I still feel we left some things behind... Oh heavens, did you pack away the first-aid kits I gave you?!"  
  
"Yes... All five of them."  
  
"Good. Oh, I just pray you don't get frostbitten or catch pneumonia. What would we do then? Remember to always be well covered and to change all your wet clothes as soon as you can, okay?"  
  
"Uh-huh. I'll remember."  
  
"Maybe I should go with you..."  
  
"Sister Agnes, will you stop worrying. I'll be fine."  
  
"All right. But you have to promise me that you'll take care of yourself. Remember to put lotion and chapstick on everytime you go outside."  
  
"Yes, I'll remember," Margie reassured, leaning forward to give Sister Agnes a warm hug.   
  
They were in the underground hatch, where the Yggdrassil was docked and Margie was getting ready to leave. Everyone else was already on the ship and waiting for her. Citan came to get her when she took too long.   
  
"Come on, Marguerite. We need to get going," he informed her.  
  
"Yeah, okay. Bye, Sister Agnes! Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Margie called as she walked over to the ship. Behind her, she could distinctly hear the nun giving Citan instructions on her well-being.  
  
"...and please, Doctor Uzuki, make sure she keeps warm and eats all of her meals. She's a growing girl after all."  
  
Citan chuckling. "Yes, Sister Agnes. Don't worry about Marguerite's health. I am a doctor, after all."  
  
"Yes, well that takes a load off my mind. We need her to be strong and full of energy when she gets back."  
  
Margie groaned as she slid down the ladder of the opening in the ship. She could just imagine the towering pile of paperwork Sister Agnes would want her to be 'strong and full of energy' for...   
  
********************************************  
  
  
Margie always loved sleeping on the ship. The constant hum and rhythmic movement could lull even the most insomniac-proned person to a restful sleep. But tonight she couldn't sleep. She was too worried about how she had left Nisan. What if things did fall apart in her absence?  
  
Margie decided the only thing to do was to take a nice walk. She climbed out of bed and slid her feet into furry slippers. She could hear Primera's steady breathing and Chu-Chu's soft snoring in the silence of the room they shared everytime they traveled. She tiptoed over to the door which opened with a soft release of air and closed behind her just as quietly.   
  
Knowing Maison would most likely be up (apparently the guy never slept...) Margie headed over to the Gun Room. The light was still on as she stepped in and she smiled when she saw the old knight in his usual spot behind the counter where he was reliably cleaning a glass with a spotless handkerchief.   
  
"Miss Marguerite, you shouldn't be up at this time," Maison reprimanded quietly. It was a habit now.   
  
She smiled at him and went over to sit on one of the stools by the counter, directly across from him. Putting her elbows on his counter, she rested her chin in her folded hands and gave him a pleading look. "Tell me a story, Maison? Like the way you used to when I was little. Please? One full of knights and princesses and other fanciful nonsense."  
  
He frowned at her and put the glass down. "You wont leave until I do, will you, young lady?"  
  
"Nope. You know me. Wont quit until I get what I want."  
  
He nodded slowly. "Good. As a Great Mother should expect."  
  
She scowled at this, but then shrugged. "So, do I get a story?"  
  
"Only one and then it's off to bed."  
  
"Of course," she said, nodding hurriedly. He sighed.  
  
"All right. Now let me see..." he began thoughtfully. "This story takes place in a kingdom that was very prosperous. The people of the kingdom were very happy and loved their King and Queen, who ruled with a fair hand. One day, the King and Queen found out that they were going to become parents. They were overjoyed by the news and waited expectantly along with the people of the kingdom. When the child was finally born, a great celebration was planned. The King and Queen were to attend with their newborn baby son."  
  
Margie smiled. She knew this story. It was the version he used to tell her when she was little of how the Aveh throne had been overtaken. She remembered that Bart, even as a little six year-old had scoffed at the innocent way Maison put it. He had known the truth. He had been forced to grow-up at a young age. Maybe that's why he acted like such a kid now...  
  
"The King's Advisor would also be attending the celebration. What the King didn't know was that this man was evil. All he wanted was the throne for himself. So on the day of the celebration, he put poison in the King's goblet. What he hadn't counted on was that the Queen would get that goblet and drink from it. Her Majesty died that very night," Maison whispered, putting his concentration in his cleaning. She could feel his heavy sorrow and once again wished she had been able to meet Bart's mother.  
  
"The King was devastated and so was the kingdom. No one could find the culprit because they didn't know it was the Advisor. For the next few years, the King dedicated his whole self to his work, except for the time he made for his son. The young Prince grew up with many different nannys. He had the best tutors, the best caretakers, but the King always regretted that the boy never had a real mother.   
  
Then, one of the King's knights found the Advisor plotting once again to get rid of the royal family. The knight told the King, but it was too late. Assassins had been hired and they murdered the King. The young Prince and the little Princess from the neighboring kingdom were taken hostage and would've been killed too if an old knight and a young lad that had served the King loyally had not come and saved them. They managed to escape and took the little Princess back to her kingdom. Regretfully, by that time the Advisor had taken over the throne and announced that the King and the young Prince both had died of a terrible illness. The knight and the young lad decided it was better for the young Prince to take back the throne once they had a bigger army to fight against the Advisor's."  
  
Margie felt cold as she got images of the dark, damp cell she and Bart had been put in while being held as hostages. She remembered that she hadn't let go of Bart at all. And that he had protected her from getting whipped...  
  
"Years passed and the Prince grew up under the tutelage of his protectors. When he was a young man, he met a group of warriors which helped him greatly in the rescue of the Princess that had gotten kidnapped by the Advisor once again. These same friends and the Princess helped him retreive back his throne and get revenge on the one who had killed both his parents and those of the Princess."  
  
Margie was staring down at the smooth surface of the counter as he finished. A lot had happened in the last twelve years... and it reminded her of how important her friends were. "So they all lived happily ever after?"  
  
"Close. It wont be happily ever after until the Prince and Princess get married, in my opinion."  
  
Margie glanced up in surprise, a blush staining her cheeks. "Well, what if the Prince and Princess don't get married?" she asked quietly.  
  
"And why wouldn't they?"  
  
"I dunno..." She trailed off and rubbed at an invisible smudge on the counter. "Maybe because the Prince doesn't love the Princess?"  
  
He smiled at her gently. "Oh, he does, Marguerite. He just doesn't know it himself yet."   
  
Margie continued staring at the counter. "Does he?" she finally asked.  
  
"More than you can imagine," he assured softly. "I'm sure he wouldn't want to live if he ever lost her."  
  
Margie nodded, surprised by all the feelings overwhelming her at what he had said. "Goodnight, Maison. Thank you for the story..." And she stood up from the stool and made her way out the door.  
  
"My pleasure, Marguerite. My pleasure."  
  
  
***********************************************  
  
Margie walked towards her room in a dreamlike state. Her emotions had been put into complete overload, it seemed. She felt a deep, sweet ache in her heart as she thought of him.   
  
And, almost as if she had conjured him up, there he was...  
  
Bart had just come in to the hall from the Gear Hangar, where he'd been working on his gear since he hadn't been able to sleep. He was surprised to find Margie there, walking slowly in her nightgown and staring thoughtfully at the floor. When she looked up and saw him there, the soft lights that were left on at night captured her sapphire eyes and made them gleam with the look she gave him. His breath caught in his throat as he stood there.  
  
Margie stared at him a while, her heart hammering in her chest and her face feeling flushed. He just looked so... tempting. The way the light played with his blond hair and the planes of his face. ~What if he doesn't...~  
  
'Oh, he does, Marguerite. He just doesn't know it himself.' Maison's words replayed in her mind.  
  
She didn't really think. It was impulse. It was fated. It was destined to be.  
  
They were both really surprised when she walked over to him and lifted her hands to fist them in the collar of his vest. Without a word or further thought, she pulled him down and kissed him fully on the lips.  
  



	7. Chapter Seven

Author's Note: Okay people, no need to point it out. I know that what shall happen in this chapter is not what most people would do. But this way makes it loads more fun! ^_~ Hope you guys like it!   
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: You ppl should know it by now... Xenogears, Squaresoft, etc...  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
The loud clatter of a dropped wrench slapped her back to her senses. She pulled away as abruptly as if she'd been burned and shakily stared at him with wide eyes. The same way he was staring at her.  
  
~Oh God, what have I done?~ she thought dispairingly as the reality of what had just happened hit her. ~What have I done?! Went completely on a whim and kissed him!~ Her trembling hand came up and covered her mouth. ~How could I have been so _stupid_?! This could ruin everything between us! A whole lifetime of friendship!~   
  
But she could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers.  
  
"What... what was that?" he finally asked in a strangled voice. If the hallway wasn't so silent, she probably wouldn't have heard him.   
  
"I... I... I'm..." Words failed her. She could hardly get her throat to work. "I'm so sorry," she finally managed, giving him an anguished look before she fled into the safety of her room and a closed door between them. Once inside, she leaned against the door and waited. Until she finally heard the sound of his footsteps leaving. The wrench he had carried in his hands and dropped in the middle of their kiss was left forgotten on the hallway floor.   
  
~Forgive me, Bart...~  
  
  
************************************************  
  
  
Margie woke up at 11:47 the next morning. That was very late to her usual 6:45 wake-up call. She stared at her clock sleepily and wondered what had caused this... before the whole of last night came crashing back. Margie gasped and rapidly sat up in bed. ~No! No! It had to have been a dream! That's the only place I'd have the guts to kiss him!~  
  
She scrambled out of bed and ran to the door. Her two roommates were already gone and she was thankful for that. She opened the door and poked her head out to see if anyone was out there. Actually, she was just on the lookout for one person. When she made sure that he (nor anyone else for that matter) was nowhere in sight, she relaxed.   
  
If something had really happened, he would have been waiting to have a serious talk with her, right? And he was obviously not here.   
  
She sighed and was about to go back into the room, when she saw the wrench. It was still on the floor except that it had been pushed aside so no one would trip over it. Margie groaned and banged her head against the wall at the sight of it. ~Great, my life is ruined...~  
  
She sighed dejectedly and trudged back into her room. Could things get any worse? She went over and lied down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling miserably. What could she do? Bart for sure was going to feel all weird around her from now on. Things wouldn't be the same anymore... She had sure taken care of that with her lack of self-control. It wouldn't surprise her if he dropped her off in Shevat and then left her there without a ride home. Nah, he'd never do that. But she knew he wouldn't act the same around her. Hell, she couldn't act the same around him! It was hopeless to do something that forward and then expect things to be the same.   
  
Margie sighed again.  
  
She lay there for a while and was just contemplating locking herself up in that room for the rest of the trip, when the door swished open. She sat up in alarm, ready to jump for the closet if necessary, then eased up when she saw it was only Elly. She sat back and gave her a weak smile. "'Morning."  
  
"Good afternoon, actually," Elly corrected as the door closed behind her. She was carrying a covered tray in her hands and went over to set it down on the small dresser besides Margie's bed. It smelled wonderful. Margie's stomach rumbled loudly and Elly grinned as she sat down beside her. "Yeah, that's what I thought. It's nearly lunchtime and you haven't eaten breakfast yet."  
  
Margie lifted the cover off the tray. She was starving, but her appetite wasn't really there. "I overslept today," she murmured, stating the obvious. She picked up her fork and half-heartedly played with the scrambled eggs on her plate. "I'm surprised no one woke me up," she continued, forcing herself to take a forkful.  
  
"Bart wouldn't let us."  
  
Margie choked on the eggs. Her face turned red and she looked up at Elly with watery eyes. "He didn't?" she asked between coughs. Elly chuckled as she hit her back.   
  
After the food went down properly, Margie apprehensively asked: "Why not?"  
  
"He said you needed the rest." Elly shrugged. "Frankly, I agree. You've been working too hard."  
  
Margie swallowed. "What else did he say?"  
  
"To bring you some breakfast cause you'd probably be ravenous after you woke up. You usually are."   
  
Margie nodded and turned back to her food, trying to act interested in it. "Was he... um, did he..." She cleared her throat. "Did he seem weird to you?"  
  
Elly frowned a little. "No. A little more subdued and preoccupied than usual, but that's about it. Why, is something wrong? Did he tell you something?"  
  
Margie nervously glanced at her friend and immediately shook her head. "No. No, he didn't tell me anything. I mean, why would he tell _me_ anything? Ha ha," she forced the laugh. "Nope. Nothing's wrong. Not that I know of, anyway."   
  
Elly's eyes narrowed and she stared at her suspiciously. "Hmm... You're hiding something from me."  
  
"Me? No, no. Course not." She put another forkful in her mouth.  
  
"Yes you are. You're acting a little too jumpy for some reason. You're not telling me something."  
  
Margie swallowed again, forcing down the half chewed eggs. Oh, how she hated to lie. Especially to one of her closests friends. But, well, she couldn't really tell Elly. Not now anyway. Things were still a little too fresh.   
  
Margie smiled reassuringly, while her stomach threatened to turn on her. "Don't worry, Elly. You know I'd tell you if something happened. I must still be half asleep or something if I came across as if I were hiding something. Heh heh."  
  
"Okay, Margie. If you say so," Elly shrugged, but Margie could tell she didn't believe her. Elly stood up. "Just remember that if you have anything that's bothering you, you can talk to me. Okay?"  
  
Margie breathed in relief, nodding assuringly. "Yes, ma'am. I'll remember."  
  
Elly nodded before she made her way to the already opening door. "Remember to chew," she called over her shoulder as the door closed behind her.   
  
Margie stared at her plate for a while. What could she do? She didn't want to see him. Well, she did, but she couldn't. She wouldn't be able to face him. So, the only thing to do now until things cooled down a bit was to avoid him at all times. Eventually, the time would be right and in a few years time, she could probably look him straight in the eye without having to worry that he'd get all stiff at the sight of her. Maybe.  
  
Margie groaned in frustration and buried her face in her hands. ~You sure screwed things up, Margie...~ she mentally berated herself.   
  
  
************************************************  
  
  
Margie knew she couldn't stay in her room all day. She wanted to shower and get out of the cramped quarters. She was tired of looking at the same four walls. So, she did the only sensible thing (no, not go looking for Bart...). She sneaked out of her room and tiptoed to the bathroom at the other end of the hall.   
  
~The courageous Great Mother strikes again...~ she thought in disgust.  
  
She took a fast shower and dressed quickly, leaving her wet hair to hang loosely down her back until it dried. She walked (sneaked, whatever) back to her room and stepped in... to nearly jump out of her skin when she saw Maria sitting on her bed and leafing through a magazine, waiting for her.   
  
The girl looked up and gave her a cheery smile. "Hi."  
  
"Uh, hi," Margie greeted back cautiously as she waited for her heart to slow down. She was becoming _way_ too paranoid. "What're you doing here?"  
  
"Waiting for you, of course."  
  
"What for?" she asked as she picked up her brush and began running it through her dripping hair.  
  
"So I could apologize to Tolone and Kelvena and the others. I think I should," Maria shrugged. No real enthusiasm.  
  
Margie winced at the thought of going _all_ through the ship to look for four different girls. "Um, now?"  
  
"Yeah, now. Let's go, come on."  
  
Maria stood up and grabbed Margie's arm, dragging her out of the room while Margie protested feebly. "No, Maria. Not now. I want to brush out my hair and... and... and..." she trailed off as they stepped out into the hallway and saw Bart walking towards them from the Gear Hangar. He hadn't seen them. His gaze was directed at the floor and he carried something really small in his hands.   
  
He glanced up and slowed down as he saw them too, then stopped altogether a few feet away. What he had carried in his hands was quickly put away in his vest.  
  
Margie couldn't think. She just stood there like an idiot and stared at him, rooted to her spot. A part of her memory loudly reminded her that running was what she had originally planned to do. But she couldn't quite follow orders... not when the mere sight of him caused her to clearly remember all that she had felt last night. She could almost...   
  
And he seemed just as spellbound as her.  
  
Maria had been staring at them, at the way their eyes were glued to each other and silently wondered what had happened between the two to make them act like this, so openly sweet on each other. She smiled inwardly as a few possibilities came to her.   
  
"Ahem!"  
  
They both jumped and tore their gazes away from each other as Maria cleared her throat, their moment broken. Margie blushed and focused on Maria, who was grinning mischievously at their reactions. Margie glared at the girl and made a mental note to strangle her when she had the opportunity.  
  
"We should go, Maria," she said, her voice tremulous. She stubbornly kept her eyes on her friend. And ardently wished that the ground would just swallow her up as she felt his stare on her. ~Probably fearing what else I'll do next...~  
  
"But I'm sure Bart had something to say, didn't you Bart?" Maria asked sweetly. "Why else would he come looking for us?"  
  
Margie wondered (through her red haze of fury) if she'd get banned out of Nisan and her duties for committing homicide on one of the Heroes that saved the world. But she didn't have a chance to think long as Bart began talking.  
  
"Uh, yeah." He cleared his throat, something he only did when he was nervous, she remembered, and glanced at the floor again. "Margie, I need to talk to you..."  
  
"Oh, but I can't," she protested, a little too quickly. "You see, I have to help Maria do something and, well..." She could almost hear it now: 'Margie, I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in you that way... You're a friend and I don't know if I can still see you the same way after what you did...' It would completely crush her.  
  
"Well, what about tonight? After dinner?" he asked hesitantly. "I really want to talk to you."  
  
Margie saw the look he gave her and sighed silently as she nodded. She could probably try to straighten things out somehow. "Yeah, okay. After dinner."  
  
"I'll meet you on the deck, then."  
  
Margie nodded dejectedly as he turned and left. For some reason, she felt like crying. ~A lifetime of friendship down the drain...~  
  
She turned and began walking down the hallway, towards the dinning room. If she actually was a drinker, she would probably go find herself a bottle right about now. Depression sure hit hard. Some tea was the best she could do.  
  
"Hey Margie! Where are you going? I thought we were going to look for the girls?"  
  
"Not right now, Maria. I've got a couple of cups of tea that have my name on them," Margie replied gloomily as the door to the Gun Room swished open. She stepped in, but not before taking a bit of revenge. "Why don't you go ask Billy to help you? Since you seem to like him so much!"   
  
And had the satisfaction of seeing Maria freeze in her tracks and blush seven shades of red.  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
Dinner was no big event.   
  
Well actually, it was. Everyone was excited about arriving in Kislev the next morning and probably participating in the Battling Arena.   
  
Ramsus challenged Fei to a 'friendly' battle as they ate. So did Dominia. She said she wanted to keep herself sharp. Seraphita was all excited, since she'd only been to Kislev once in her life. Tolone acted like it was no big deal. She didn't seem as uncomfortable about being around the others as she used to be. None of them did anymore.   
  
Maria had apologized to the girls formally and was feeling a lot better now, it seemed. She kept on chattering all through the meal. Billy, sitting across from her, once in a while reminded her to 'shut up and just eat', while Jessie scolded him and said that 'the pretty lady was allowed to talk if she wanted to'. Maria loved it.  
  
Fei would not keep his watchful eye away from Elly for long. Even while they ate, he made sure she finished all that was on her plate while bombarding Citan with questions on how to get her even more healthy. She rolled her eyes and Citan chuckled, saying she was the healthiest of them all. Fei relaxed a bit after that.  
  
Everyone was happy because they were going to see Rico again. The ex-Battling Champ and future Kaiser was loved by all.   
  
Margie noticed all this happening around her, but she couldn't really concentrate. She was too aware of what would happen _after_ dinner. It did not bode well. Bart usually took his meals on the bridge, since he liked to keep an eye out on the land they were travelling over. She didn't know if she was to count that as a good thing or a bad. She missed him...  
  
~Ah well, Margie my girl. You'd better get used to that.~   
  
She cursed her mental-self for pointing that out. Needless to say, she hardly touched her food.  
  
When everyone was finished and it looked like she couldn't drag dinner out any longer, she stood up and slowly headed for the elevator. The humming of the Yggdrassil was soft since it was travelling over the sands again. Kislev was really close.  
  
After getting out of the elevator, she stopped at the foot of the ladder that would take her outside to the deck. She took a deep breath, said a quick prayer and began climbing up.   
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
^_^ 


	8. Chapter Eight

Author's Note: I know I'm dragging out the trip to Kislev. And then the group _still_ needs to get to Shevat... But this stuff needed to happen. :)   
And you all probably loath me for leaving you on a cliffhanger all over again in the last chapter. ^_^ I'll try not to do that again. I promise I'll try. Can't guarrantee more than that, though... = ]  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft, not to me... Clear enough for you?  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
The night was cool. It was one of those nights that were perfect to spend outside. Clear, with a splendid view of the sparkling stars and the beautiful ruby and gold shaded moon. The Yggdrassil slowly made it's way over the seemingly never ending sands. A calming rhythm.  
  
But it did nothing for Margie. She was nervous. _Very_ nervous. She stared at Bart's back from across the deck and wondered if it was still okay to run. He hadn't seen her yet and she had a good chance of jumping down the opening without him noticing.  
  
~Quit being such a coward. You've been enough of one today to last you the next couple of years...~  
  
Margie cleared her throat loudly and steeled herself. She waited breathlessly as he turned and looked at her with his gleaming sapphire gaze. She closed her eyes, unable to stand the uncomfortable look he'd most likely give her. That was not something she'd be able to handle.  
  
When he didn't say anything, she began. "I'm... I'm sorry for what I did, Bart..." she whispered, her eyes still closed. She took a deep breath and continued when he didn't say anything. "I really don't know why I did that. Why I kissed you. It... Call it impulse... I didn't mean it. The kiss didn't mean anything... really..."  
  
She stopped and just stood there for a moment, feeling like she'd been stripped raw of her shields. Here she was, giving the biggest lie of her life to the person she cared about the most... She felt sick.  
  
Bart stared at her for a while. The light of the moon gave her a soft aura and the way her eyes were closed worriedly made him want to go over to her and make her feel safe again. The way he'd done all his life. She was his to protect, something he'd always known and never questioned. But now he really had the urge to knock some sense into her. Deck her if necessary. If she felt that lying to him was the way to get out of this tangle of emotions she'd gotten him into, she was wrong. Dead wrong. He'd been more confused in the last 24 hours than he'd been in his whole life. Stupid girl thought she could just kiss him, wake up all these feelings he had never known he'd had and then pretend nothing had happened? No way he was going to let her get away with it!  
  
"That was the worst attempt at a lie that you've ever made."  
  
Surprised at the annoyed and clipped tone of his voice as much as at what he had said, she opened her eyes and gawked at him. "Huh?"  
  
He glared at her and felt like swearing at the innocent way she looked at him. She was _unaware_ dammit! She had no idea of what she had done to him! Well, he was going to make damn sure she knew exactly how he felt.  
  
"Don't act dense, Margie. You can't lie yourself out of what you did," he muttered harshly.  
  
Margie lowered her head and stared at the floor miserably, tears in her eyes. ~Oh God, he hates me... He actually hates me...~ "I'm really sorry..." she whispered so quietly that he didn't hear. All he saw was that she was trying to avoid looking at him.   
  
Did she actually feel _that_ sorry about what she did?! Did she regret kissing him that much that she couldn't even look at him comfortably?! He was not gonna let her off the hook that easily. There was no way she was going to leave him hanging! She had avoided him all day and he'd spent it thinking of nothing else but her. He hadn't been able to stop himself from thinking about her, about the way she'd surprised him with that kiss so completely that he hadn't been able to react. Now she said she hadn't meant it!  
  
"You know what I think?" he forced out in a deceptively mild voice. "I think you enjoyed what you did, no matter how many times you'll say you didn't."  
  
She looked up and stared at him in shock, the guilt showing in her eyes. But he didn't see that either. He was too focused on his anger and in making her see that what she had done had completely turned him inside out. Being so out of control of his emotions got him really riled up.  
  
Margie didn't know what was eating him. All she knew was that he was clearly angry. He began walking towards her and she slowly backed away. Until her back came to a forced stop at the railing of the deck. He caged her further by resting a hand on the railing on either side of her, making sure she had no way of getting past him. He leaned forward until his face was only a couple of inches from hers, and her breathing quickened. His annoyed look forced her to swallow.  
  
"What do you want me to say, Bart?" Margie managed softly. ~Anything. Anything, God, but don't let him hate me...~  
  
He lifted his hand and she immediately closed her eyes, an involuntary reaction. But she opened them slowly again in surprise when she felt the touch of his fingers gently brushing her hair away from her face. She clearly felt the callouses of his fingers as they brushed her cheek. She stared at him in complete astonishment and his intense gaze found hers. He had never looked at her that way before...  
  
"Bart...?" She could hardly breathe. She didn't even notice her body was trembling.  
  
"I'm going to make you feel the same way you made me feel," he whispered before he slowly leaned down and kissed her parted lips.  
  
Margie couldn't think. She could only feel. The shock of what was happening kept her from moving for a minute.   
  
His mouth was hard with anger on hers, but it softened when she began kissing him back and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He encircled her waist with his arms, pressing their bodies together, the way he'd wanted it to be the first time she'd kissed him. But back then he'd had that wrench in his hands. Now nothing stood in the way.  
  
They slowly pulled away from each other after a while, both reluctant, but the lack of oxygen in their systems making it necessary. Bart pressed one quick, last kiss on her lips, a kiss that made her heart flutter just for the simplicity of it. Almost like he wanted to do it all the time.  
  
She could only stand there, so much surging through her that she couldn't even move. Her mind numbly registered that they were both shaking a little.  
  
She closed her eyes dreamily, wondering what had just happened when he leaned down and pressed his brow against hers. His arms were still wrapped around her and she could feel his warm breath on her cheeckbone.  
  
"What was that?" he asked of her on a shaky whisper. "Don't tell me that was nothing..."  
  
Margie smiled, her eyes still closed, as she heard the unsteadiness in his voice. ~This affected him as much as it did me... But things were supposed to go so differently...~  
  
"Margie, tell me," he asked again. "Tell me what you feel."  
  
"I feel..." She sighed and smiled. "I feel satisfied because I finally did something I wanted to do since... I can't even remember anymore," she confided, not really stressing about what he'd think. She felt boundless for some reason. Completely free.  
  
"You wanted to kiss me?" he asked in slight astonishment.  
  
"Didn't I just prove that?" she teased softly, stretching up to brush her lips over his. It was so intimate, just the two of them standing there in each others arms while the moon softly illuminated them. It was perfect. And she felt so light. As if a weight had been taken off of her and now she could just... stay here forever if she chose to.  
  
Bart smiled at her answer, which pleased him and gave him a bit of more info than he'd previously had. She had wanted to do this for a while... How long had he been unaware?  
  
"I'm so glad this turned out all right," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "For a minute there, I thought things had changed."  
  
"They have changed, Margie," Bart whispered back. "For the better."   
  
  
************************************************  
  
  
They stayed up on the deck until midnight. Call it hormone induced if you will, but Margie knew it was so much more that that. They had known each other all their lives, but only now discovered each other. So much had to be expressed still. So they spent the hours talking, kissing, wrapped in each others arms. Until Margie deemed that it was _way_ too easy for her to fall asleep right there in his arms. Time to back off a bit. Things needed to be taken slowly.  
  
So he walked her to the door of her room, where she gave him a sleepy kiss that had them lingering over it way longer than originally intended.  
  
She contentedly crawled into bed an hour later.  
  
  
*************************************************  
  
  
The next morning, she was gently nudged awake by Prim. The young girl was taken by surprise when Margie woke up happily (that was rare in itself...). The Great Mother stretched leisurely and gave her a brief hug. Prim blushed at the attention.  
  
Margie ruffled Prim's hair before making her way out the door and toward the bathroom. She hummed a song happily under her breath, a tune she had often heard Elly hum after Fei had proposed to her. No wonder Elly felt so happy all the time.   
  
After doing her morning ritual, she changed and went to the Gun Room for some breakfast. As soon as she stepped in she saw that Bart was barely heading out with a plate full of food in one had and a cup in the other. They both stopped as their eyes met and couldn't help smiling secretly at each other, oblivious that the others had stopped their eating and conversation to stare at them two.   
  
Elly and Maria took one look at them two and shared a grin from different ends of the table. Bart undeniably had to be the cause for that look on their friend's face.   
  
"What's up with you two?" Billy, the only male currently at the table, finally asked. His curiosity earned him nothing but glares from all the girls there, including a sharp look from Emeralda as Margie and Bart finally noticed them, too.  
  
"Even I get it, you dolt," the ever-wiser nanomachine hissed in his direction, making him blink in confusion. He was surprised even further when he saw the blush staining Margie's cheekbones. What was up with her?  
  
Bart smirked at her reaction and continued to make his way toward the door, stopping besides her briefly to whisper softly in her ear, "I'll see you later, right?"  
  
Her blush grew and she nodded hurriedly, making him chuckle as he left.  
  
Margie turned to the ones sitting at the table after the door closed behind him and bit her lip self-consciously when she noticed the knowing looks the three girls gave her. She thanked God for Billy's confused one. At least not everyone knew... She didn't think she could handle all _four_ of their sly comments without even any breakfast in her.  
  
She cleared her throat and went over to the table as normally as possible. She sat down in her usual spot between Maria and Emeralda and took the ring off her napkin, shaking it out and primly placing it on her lap while the others looked on. Then, when she couldn't take it any longer; she looked up, seriously met the eyes of her three closest friends and then they all burst out laughing. Much to Billy's growing confusion.  
  
The young gunman rolled his eyes and continued eating, deciding to ignore the strangeness of females in general.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*I do apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I currently have a writer's block that I pray (and so should you) will leave me soon. In the meantime, hope this satisfies you guys (and gals). I know you wanted to know what happened next.  
(Truthfully, so did I... ^_~) Don't be afraid to e-mail me with your rants, complaints, whatever. Even though praise would be much more appreciated...* 


	9. Yay!! Chapter Nine!!!!

Author's Note: Gomen nasai! Another chapter that took me forever to write... But my writer's block was quite stubborn. It insisted in taking a permanent residence in my mind. Luckily, I gave it the boot. So here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy! :) Oh, and please review. Arigatou!  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears does NOT belong to me. 'Nuff said.  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Kislev had looked the same from a distance. Machine made and run. That cloud of black residue from the machines still hung in the air, but it had lessened considerably. You didn't choke on it anymore.  
  
Margie looked around at the rebuilding that was going on as she walked towards the Central District with the others, and was surprised to see how many people had actually stayed behind to help with the repairs. Most of them had seemed like they didn't cared about the polluted city. But they were still here; rebuilding. Just like Rico.   
  
She wanted to see the orphanage that was here in Nortune, since it _was_ a part of the Nisan Sect, but first things first. They had to go see Kaiser Sigmund, and, of course, Rico.   
  
Kahr walked at the head of the group with Dominia right next to him. Margie absently wondered if he ever noticed how she never seemed to leave his side. She doubted it. Neither seemed to notice that they were never far from the other for long. They just took it as something that simply was. The rest of his 'troops' had stayed behind.  
  
Margie noticed little things like their companionship a lot more now that she and Bart had come to an understanding. She was aware of the hidden looks Maria sent Billy all the time, the ones the young gunman didn't notice. And she saw the warm way Billy smiled at the girl when she wasn't looking. She must've been pretty thick to not have noticed that before.  
  
Fei and Elly she had always known about. The first time she had seen those two together so many months ago, the connection had been almost tangible. There was something about those two that you could almost see and touch. Fate had entwined them so tightly, anyone could've seen it. Even her. Even Bart.   
  
But now, she could see all the little silent conversations they had with each other. Just a smile, just a look, just a touch and they conveyed to the other their undying love. It was something so pure and bright, it gave anyone who knew them the hope that if nothing else was constant in this world, their love would be.  
  
Margie smiled and looked away as Fei turned from where he was walking behind Ramsus and shot Elly one of those looks. Elly who walked next to the blushing Great Mother, returned it. Then Fei turned back to his discussion with Bart, who was walking beside him. The two were reminiscing about their past adventures and Margie couldn't help but smile when she saw them both start laughing, much to the irritation of Kahr who walked ahead of them.  
  
She had been in part disappointed and in part cheerful when she had found out that they had arrived in Kislev as soon as breakfast was over. Disappointed because she and Bart hadn't been able to have any time alone. ~Bummer...~  
  
She was pulled out of her thoughts when they arrived at the Central Administration District Building, which had been rebuilt to be a lot smaller than it had previously been. Under Rico's orders, no doubt. Everyone needed a roof over their heads and this was not the time to get extravagant with just _one_ building when who knew how many countless others were in desperate need of repair. Rico had always been the no-nonsense type.  
  
The guards at the doors were dressed in the usual blue soldier uniforms and immediately moved aside to let them pass when they arrived. "The Kaiser and Lord Rico are waiting for you on the second floor in the Council Room," one of the guards informed them.   
  
Kahr nodded, but didn't go in. Instead he turned and gave Fei a pointed glare. When Fei only looked at him in confusion, the Solarian huffed and crossed his arms. "You're supposed to go in first," he said, with obvious distaste. "As the leader and the one that's on personal terms with the Kaiser and his son, you go in first."  
  
"Oh. Okay," Fei replied before shrugging. "Come on, you guys."  
  
The others followed behind, entering the artificially lighted hallway. They climbed the stairs, their group being too big for the elevator and besides, it was only the second floor. Margie, Elly, Emeralda and Dominia were the only females who had come along; Margie and Emeralda because they had wanted to tag along; Elly and Dominia because they were expected to be there. The men consisted of Fei, Bart, Ramsus, Citan and Jessie. All of them were here because of their positions.  
  
Margie noticed the looks they got as they made their way towards the Council Room. Awe was the word she thought of to describe the way the people who were working inside looked at them.   
  
"Don't you ever get tired of it?" she quietly asked Elly who walked next to her.   
  
Elly kept her serious look and nodded. "It makes me uncomfortable. I really wished they would stop," Elly whispered back. "But to them, we're the Heroes. In the flesh, right before their very eyes."  
  
Margie nodded, wondering if the others ever got tired of the looks and whispers. She knew she sure would've. If Margie got annoyed about being called Great Mother all the time (as if she had lost her name or something by becoming the Great Mother...) she knew she would dread going out in public if people were going to act like that around her all the time. She did not envy her friends on this.  
  
"It's like we're not regular people anymore," Elly said softly, with a trace of sadness in her voice. Margie glanced at her in surprise as they continued walking. That was exactly how she felt...   
  
They arrived at the door that led to the Council Room just as it swished opened. And there, looking as big and feral as ever, stood the reason for their visit. Ricardo Banderas.  
  
Fei let out a yelp when the ex-Battling Champ came over to give him a bone-cracking bear-hug as a greeting.   
  
"Fei, you moron, where have you been hiding yourself?" Rico asked with some affection in his gruff voice. But Fei couldn't answer because at the moment his breathing was cut off.  
  
"Um, Rico dear," Elly interrupted as her mate's face began turning blue. "He can't breathe. You'd better let him go."  
  
"What? Oh." Rico released him and Fei collapsed to the floor in a heap where he gulped in some much needed oxygen. Elly chuckled and gave Rico a brief hug before going over to kneel beside Fei.  
  
"I tell ya, I leave him a couple of months out of my sight and he gets all soft on me," Rico muttered, shaking his head. Then he turned to the others.  
  
Bart offered his hand right away when Rico got to him. "Heh heh, no need for a hug, big guy. I'd rather _not_ have my ribs cracked, if you don't mind," the young King said with a nervous smile. He then winced when Rico smirked at him and took his hand, giving it a tight, painful squeeze before letting go. Bart began rubbing his hand gently(which, by some miracle hadn't been broken), as Rico left to greet the others.   
  
Citan and Jessie gave him firm handshakes, Jessie muttering under his breath about the advantage of size some people had while Citan smiled.   
  
Rico gave Margie a sharp-toothed grin before saluting to her respectively. She grinned right back. She felt a stranged connection the ex-Battling Champ. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, though... Almost as if they were in the same type of situation.  
  
Rico and Emeralda exchanged the same calculating looks as a greeting. They were the only ones of the team who measured around the same in physical strength. Both because of what they were. It gave them a certain edge over each other and Margie saw the challenging smiles they traded. These two were waiting for a battle. One that wouldn't include their Gears.  
  
Rico gave Kahr and Dominia a nod that wasn't exactly friendly, but wasn't hostile either. Margie thought that was pretty good, considering Rico's temper. It could've gone worse...  
  
Once the hello's were over with and Fei could stand up again, they followed him into the Council Room where the Kaiser was waiting.   
  
Sigmund looked a bit older than when they had first met him. All that had happened within the past few months had taken its toll on him. His hair had more grey in it and he had a few more wrinkles in his face. He looked tired. Rico stiffened as soon as they went in and the others could tell that the relationship between father and son was still uneasy.   
  
"Kaiser," Rico said in the tone of voice they were more used to hearing from him. Cool and harsh. "They are here."  
  
"Yes, yes, I can see that," Sigmund snapped brusquely as he stood up, making Rico scowl. Then in a more solicitous voice: "Please, come in."  
  
They stepped in as he came around the large table he had been seated at. It was a room much like the Council Hall in Nisan, Margie noticed, with maps on the walls and everything. As the Kaiser came to them to greet them formally, Bart reached back and took her hand, pulling her forward to stand next to him. She smiled up at him and he grinned, giving her hand a brief squeeze before letting go.  
  
"It's good to have the Heroes here in Kislev," Sigmund said as he took each their hands and shook them. When he got to Bart, he stopped for a bit. "King Bartholomew Fatima," he said as he took the young King's hand and shook it firmly. "It's good to be on friendly terms with the Aveh Kingdom for once. It has made the people happier and put them more at ease."  
  
"Yes, Kaiser Sigmund. It's done the same for the people of my kingdom," Bart replied just as seriously.  
  
"And you brought the Great Mother with you, too. I hope today finds you and your city well, Mother," Sigmund greeted respectively, taking her hand too.  
  
Margie smiled. "We've been doing quite well, Kaiser. And you?"  
  
"As well as I can hope, Mother. My age is, of course, a factor in my health, but I find myself in good enough shape. I don't know for how long that will last, though. I don't know how long _I_ will last."  
  
"Would you quit sharing your grievances with us, old man," Rico complained from where he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Knowing your mule-headed stubborness, you'll be here another couple of decades just to make my life harder than it already is."  
  
"Hah! You just wait, Banderas! If I can help it, I'll be here another half-century if for nothing else but to make sure you don't destroy my Empire!" Sigmund retorted. But there was no venom behind any of the words these two exchanged. The others got the idea that this was the way they got along.  
  
Rico scowled and looked away and Sigmund returned to greeting the rest of the group, hesitating a bit over Ramsus and Dominia. But he greeted them as if they were part of the group anyway, causing them to blink in surprise. Their reaction brought a smile to Margie's face. It never ceased to amaze her how knowledgeable those two were about some things, and how innocent they were about others.  
  
"Please sit. Make yourselves comfortable," Sigmund instructed them as he went back to his chair. "My old bones need to rest and if you're going to be here long, I need to sit."  
  
"You have to lay it on thick, don't you, old man," Rico grumbled as he went over and sat down on the chair next to his father. Sigmund glared and was about to retort again, but stopped when they heard Jessie chuckling. Everyone turned to the gunman questioningly.  
  
"What's so funny, old friend?" Citan asked.  
  
"Nothing really. It's just seems remarkable to me that Sigmund and Banderas squabble about as much as Billy and I do," Jessie replied, shaking his head. "I know exactly how you feel, Kaiser. Fool boy doesn't stop baiting me, either."   
  
Rico frowned and was about to give a sharp reply, but Sigmund spoke first. "Yes, well this is what they do to prevent themselves from getting close to us," Sigmund sighed. Rico glared at him.  
  
"I suppose so," Jessie agreed. "It's the way they punish us for not being there before."  
  
"Yes, but I hardly believe Rico should punish me harshly. I never knew he had been born," Sigmund said quietly.  
  
Rico pointedly looked away.  
  
"Ahem." They all turned to Dominia, who had cleared her throat rather loudly to grab their attention. "Excuse me Kaiser, but we had originally decided to gather here to discuss diplomatic business, not to converse over parental issues," she reminded them, her eyes cool and detached.   
  
Giving the others an apologetic glance, Kahr grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to sit. His pale brows were furrowed in disapprovement, but she just shrugged at his sharp look. "Hey, they needed to be told. This was starting to sound like a therapy group."   
  
That broke the tension a bit. The group got comfortable in their chairs while the Kaiser straightened the small stack of papers he had in front of him. Then he cleared his throat. "The lady is right. You are my guests and I believe you have come here with a purpose. What have you come to discuss?"  
  
They had decided that Fei would be the one to make the announcement. He stood up and cleared his throat. "Kaiser, we have recently been informed by Kahran Ramsus that he is on a mission to contact Queen Zephyr of Shevat. He is on confidential business and we agreed to take him to Shevat under the condition that we could bring our allies along. He agreed to this and since his private business with Queen Zephyr could concern us, too, we wanted you to send Rico with us as your representative for the Kislev Empire. King Bartholomew Fatima is going for Aveh and the Great Mother Marguerite Fatima is going for Nisan. We would like your Empire to be included, too."   
Margie inwardly smiled at his wording. ~Perfect, Fei. You've been learning.~  
  
The Kaiser looked thoughtful as Fei sat down. "Well, this is certainly something. Young man," he said to Kahr, "you wouldn't be willing to share with us what this confidential business is all about, would you?"  
  
Kahr folded his hands in front of him and began in his serious, tactful voice: "I'm sorry, Kaiser, but I was clearly instructed to bring this news to Queen Zephyr. Neither you, nor the Great Mother, nor the King of Aveh were included in my orders. The only way you can find out is if Queen Zephyr gives the permission to let you be there when I tell her or if she decides to tell you herself. After I give her my message, my mission is over and it's up to her who she wants to share the information with. Other than that, I can't tell you anything."  
  
"Who gave you these orders, exactly?" Sigmund asked.  
  
"I cannot say."  
  
"Hmm." Sigmund sat back in his chair with a frown. His fingers idly played with the surface of the table as if his hands itched to be over the keyboard of the organ he used to play. Margie guessed that playing his music had helped the old man strategize. He finally sighed. "So be it. Rico, you will go with them to find out what this whole business is about. Fei is right. This message could concern all of us."  
  
Rico nodded. "Okay. But what about Norturne? The rebuilding plans still have to be revised and new orders have to be given out to all the new refugees who showed up and-"  
  
"I can handle it, Banderas!" Sigmund interrupted heatedly. "What? You think that just because I'm old, I can't run an Empire?! Let me tell you something, you upstart, I was handling this Empire just fine years before you came along and just because you're here helping with a few things now doesn't mean I'm suddenly senile and decrepit and everything will fall apart if you leave! I'll be just fine, thank you very much!"  
  
Margie bit her lip to keep herself from laughing as Rico stood up from his chair and flared up right alongside his father. Those two were so alike and they didn't know it. It was hilarious. She could see the others thought the same because they all looked at each other and came to a sudden decision. Since their argument was nothing to be alarmed about, they all stood up and quietly walked out to let them finish.  
  
  
  
To be continued... (real soon, I promise!) ^_^  
  
  
*Remember to review!* 


	10. Chapter Ten: in case you didn't know

Author's Note: Bet you guys didn't believe me about getting this out fast. =] Anyway, here it is... Chapter Ten! Yay! Hurrah! Remember to review, peoples! Oh and I'd like to thank Aaron-san and Janis-san for giving me the push I needed to proofread all my chapters and fix them as much as I could.   
(It _is_ spelled Kahran... Damn, so many pages I had to re-read...)  
One more thanx to LunarBlade Valentine for the insomnia correction! Where would I be without you people? ^_^  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: (sigh) Xenogears is a brilliant game that belongs to Squaresoft... I'm just expanding on it...  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
Margie sadly stared at the tapestry of the Nisan Cross that had been put up on the wall of the orphanage in D-Block. She sat on one of the pews of the tiny church that made up one of the sections of the little building that had been rebuilt as the orphanage. It had been one of the first buildings to be rebuilt. Sadly, the orphanage had really been needed.  
  
Margie looked at her surroundings; at all the little ones that made this building their home now. It struck a chord in her to see them here, all together, knowing that they were the only family they themselves had left.  
  
A little girl, who couldn't be older than seven sat next to her on the pew, silent as she listened to the Sister's daily sermon. A stuffed rabbit was clutched possessively in her arm and her other tiny hand held on tightly to Margie's. It nearly broke the Great Mother's heart.  
  
The Sister said the final prayer just as the children began getting restless and when she was finished, the kids immediately stood up and ran outside, their laughter echoing in a room that was suddenly empty. If it hadn't been for the laughter, Margie knew instinctively that she'd have let a few tears loose.  
  
~The tragedies of war and the mistakes of humanity... The children are the ones that suffer in the end... And that's exactly what I can prevent... What I _will_ prevent...~  
  
Margie was brought out of her dark thoughts by a tug on her hand. She looked down and met the serious dark eyes that could only be put on a seven year-old's face by tragedy. Margie immediately put on her brightest smile. "What is it, sweety?"  
  
"Can I go pway outside?" the little girl queried softly, her voice ringing with the innocence that had ruthlessly been stolen from many of the others.  
  
"Sure. Go have some fun."  
  
"You wont be wonewy? 'Cuz I can stay, if you want me to," she offered solemnly.  
  
Margie stared at the angel before her and smiled softly. "I'll be just fine, sweets. Don't worry about me."  
  
The little girl nodded before running off after the others, leaving Margie to sigh. Once again, she had very nearly broken down. She sat there on the pew for a while after that, her mind preoccupied. After the meeting with the Kaiser, Fei had surmised that Sigmund and Rico would probably be busy with the plans that needed to be made for the ex-Battling Champ's departure. So he had announced that they had the afternoon free to do whatever they wanted. They'd leave tomorrow morning if things went smoothly.  
  
So they had all gone their own ways. Citan and Jessie had gone back to the ship to inform the others about this. The rest of the group would undoubtedly want to have a chance to 'stretch their legs and get some fresh air'. Bart had demanded to know what fresh air Citan had been talking about.  
  
Fei had wanted to take a look around the rebuilding city, but had been reminded rather curtly by Ramsus about the challenge he had agreed to. Dominia had also pointed out that she would have her turn after the Commander. If there was anything left of Fei, that is.  
  
Elly had cracked her knuckles and announced that she would tag along, too. A good Gear battle was just what she needed, she said. The protective alarm in Fei's head had immediately gone off and the two had left towards the Battling Arena with the beginnings of a heated argument already in motion.   
  
Emeralda had decided to go with them and so had Bart, after asking if that was okay with her. Margie had smiled and nodded and he had gone after them, but not before pressing a quick kiss on her lips and promising to see her later. Fei's surprised look had been priceless, in Margie's opinion, but not as much as the grin and thumbs-up he had sent her afterwards. The man had approved, for heaven's sake.  
  
So that had left Margie momentarily on her own, which was completely fine with her. She had taken a good walk around the bustling city, seeing everything until her curiosity had been satisfied. She had caught glimpses of the others along the way, even spotting the ever cynical Tolone gawking at the Machine City as much as her sister was doing. It had been another of those priceless looks she would keep in her memory.  
  
Now it was nearly sunset and here she was, in the orphanage where she had spent the last hour and a half in the company of the children and the Sisters. It had been quite an eye-opening hour and a half. This is exactly what reminded her that she had the power to make a difference and prevent these type of situations from happening. She had no room to be selfish.   
  
But did she have room to be the Great Mother and be herself at the same time?  
  
She sat there on the pew with her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped loosely around her knees while the Sisters continued their work around her. Her inner struggle continued as she tried to find a way to be the Great Mother the people needed her to be, and the sixteen year old girl _she_ needed to be...  
  
"Margie?"  
  
She glanced up and met Maria's concerned gaze. She hadn't even noticed the girl walk up to her.  
  
"Huh? Sorry, did you say something?" Margie asked, trying to shrug away all the thoughts that had been clouding her mind.  
  
"Are you okay? You looked a bit troubled. Something wrong?" Maria questioned as she sat down next to her.  
  
"What? No, eveything's fine, I guess," Margie said, shrugging and lowering her legs to the floor. "I was just wondering about how it would be to grow up in an orphanage..."  
  
"Depends. It can be pretty lonely when you know that you don't have parents or any other family to count on. But at the same time you have all the other children with you..."  
  
Margie turned just as Billy came around the pew. He sat down on the one across from them and gave her a curious look. "Why you asking? The orphanage got you thinking?"  
  
"Yeah. I came to check it out and see how it was doing... My Grandma used to come here all the time... She liked to keep an eye on the kids and see how they were doing, so I thought I'd do the same."  
  
"I think it's good that you want to keep doing that," Maria murmured, glancing around at the small building. "I didn't grow up in an orphanage, but I think I know what a lot of these kids are feeling. When I was rescued by my Grandpa and taken back to Shevat, I remember how much it hurt to not be able to see my Dad. To not even be sure if he was still alive or not..." she trailed off and stared down at her lap where her hands where fisted tightly. "How was it growing up in an orphanage, Billy?" she quietly asked after a while, not looking up.  
  
Margie turned to him and saw his pale brows furrow a bit. "It... I can't really say I grew up in an orphanage. I lived in the streets for a while until I began training to be an Etone. Then after that, I asked the Church to have the Orphanage built so other kids wouldn't have it the way Prim and I did..." He stopped with the frown still on his face and reached out to slowly pull off Maria's goggles. The girl looked up in surprise as he slid them off her head and held them up to the light to study them, continuing with his story. "But I was never alone. I always had Prim there. Unlike these kids, I always had one constant. You could say she's the one that kept me from giving up on everything..."  
  
Maria blushed a little. Without her goggles to hold her hair back; her thick, flaxen, corkscrew curls slid forward to frame her face softly. Apparently she didn't like that because she kept on brushing it behind her ears, to no avail. In the end she just sighed and continued to look down at her lap. Billy kept on studying her goggles.  
  
Margie hid a smile behind her hand. What Billy had just done was something that was so like what Bart used to do to her. The young pirate had always had a habit of pulling off her hat back in the days when she used to wear it. There was something about that little gesture...  
  
They stayed silent for a while until Maria finally asked. "How was your childhood, Margie? We don't really know much about your family. I don't think I've ever heard you say a thing about your father..."  
  
Billy turned away from the green goggles in his hands and looked at her, too. "Yeah, me neither. You mind sharing?"   
  
"No. It's just that I don't really know much about my Dad," Margie said, pulling her knees back up. "He died when I was little. About two, I think. I can't remember him at all. Sometimes, I wonder in which ways I'm like him, you know? Do I have some of his traits? Do I act the way he did? Grandma used to say I had his curiosity and the keen precision he had with judging people. Bart would argue that point, though," she said, rolling her eyes. "I wish I had met him."  
  
"I can imagine," Maria sighed. "I miss my Dad horribly. I think I always will..."  
  
"What about you, Billy?" Margie asked.   
  
He snorted. "You forget that I've already lived through that and survived." He shrugged. "The man isn't all I hoped for..."  
  
Just then, Maria stood up and swatted him on the head, making him look up in surprise.  
  
"Hey! What was that for?!" he demanded.   
  
Margie noticed the girl's fierce glare and hoped Billy would just keep his mouth shut for his own safety.  
  
"That was for being such an imbecilic, ungrateful, moronic brat," she declared angrily, causing him to blink.  
  
"Huh?" was the best he could manage.  
  
"How can you be so stupid?! Unlike you, some of us don't have any parents left to speak of and yet you badmouth yours every chance you get just for that one mistake he did in the past!"  
  
Billy glared right back at her and stood up, towering over her by a good five inches. "What do you know, Maria? You don't know how it feels to have your Mother murdered and then find out it was your Dad's fault she's dead because he wasn't there to protect her!"  
  
"No. But I know exactly how it feels to lose your father because he was trying to protect _you_! I know _exactly_ how it feels to ache and yearn for him and know he can't come home because if he does, he'll put the most precious thing in his life at stake! He tried to protect me, the same way your father was trying to protect you, Billy! And you're really stupid to just treat him the way you do when he's right here, _alive_, and anxious to spend some time with his children!" She stopped to take a deep, shaky breath. "It wasn't his fault," she finally whispered, sitting down again and looking at the floor.  
  
Margie sat breathlessly between the two. Her mind told her to do something, but her instincts told her not to intervene. Just like her father would've, she followed her instincts.  
  
Billy stared down at Maria for a while, frowning. His fists clenched and unclenched and his aqua eyes clearly showed the struggle going on within him. In the end, his gaze hardened.  
  
"No, it wasn't," he began slowly, his voice quiet. "But the fact that Prim had to live in the streets and lose her voice and not have a real home _is_ his fault! And for the many years she had a hard life, I'll give him a hard life."  
  
And with that, he stalked out of the orphanage, leaving them behind to stare after him.  
  
"Oh heavens, what have I done," Maria groaned as she continued staring at the floor miserably. Her goggles had been left on the bench in front of her.  
  
  
*************************************************  
  
  
Margie couldn't help but worry about them. They _were_ two of her closest friends.  
  
That night the group gathered at the Wildcat Bar, which had been repaired since it luckily hadn't been completely destroyed. Even the musicbox had been brought back. Everyone was gathered there in a brief trip of nostalgia as the music played and food and memories were shared. They packed up the small bar and no one else was let in for that night.  
  
Elly pulled Fei onto the cleared floor and lured him into a rhythmic jig that made Margie think of the music of Aveh. Fei tried his best at matching Elly's graceful steps with his own while the others cheered him on, and after a while he got the hang of it, twirling her around at the right moments to finish with her laughing in his arms.   
  
After that, those who dared tried their own steps on the floor, each wanting a turn with the graceful Solarian heroine. Until Fei told them all to find another dancing partner. His wife needed to rest. 'Boo's' ensued.  
  
The food flow slowed down considerably after that since the waitresses were the ones being pulled onto the dance floor. None of the other women really wanted to dance. Dominia had snarled at Jessie when he had ventured to ask for the honor of her company. Kahr had chuckled at the whole thing.  
  
Seraphita wasn't one to let herself be intimitated and as soon as she had seen Elly dance, she had been the next one to show her stuff, proving that Elly wasn't the only Solarian with grace. She had immediately taken Jessie up on his offer and thoroughly enjoyed herself, while her sister muttered darkly from the table she'd been left behind in.   
  
Kelvena had giggled at Tolone's reaction. Then she had blushed brilliantly when Kahr had bowed in front of her and asked her for a dance. Since Dominia didn't dance, he told her, he was asking her. After giving Dominia a quick apologetic glance, Kelvena agreed and shyly followed him onto the dance floor. Daggers practically shot out of Dominia's eyes.  
  
At the other end of the bar, Emeralda and Rico were having another contest. The Gear Battling earlier had shown that both were about the same in skills. A tie was what they had ended up with. Now they were having a dart's game to prove who had the best 'accuracy'...  
  
Margie sat on one of the stools of the bar, one of the bar's patron cats curled in her lap where it purred contenetedly as she looked at the ones on the dance floor. Bart was sitting beside her with his arm loose wrapped around her waist. It felt nice to have him close.  
  
Maria was on her other side, smiling slightly. No one had been able to tempt a full smile out of her since what had happened at the orphanage. She was looking at the dancing, but had refused an invitation from Fei. Her eyes kept on travelling to a table across the dance floor, where Billy sat.   
  
The ex-Etone was talking with Citan but was clearly not really in the conversation. The small frown hadn't disappeared from his face. When Seraphita asked him for a dance, he refused, saying he needed to get some fresh air. No one went after him as he went outside, but three people worriedly noticed his departure. Jessie, Primera and Maria.  
  
"I have to go to the ladies room," Maria suddenly yelled at Margie, trying to be heard over the loud music and talking. Margie nodded and watched as the young mechanic climbed off her stool and made her way to the bathroom. She had put her goggles back on.  
  
"Hey, Bart," she yelled, turning to look at him. He was laughing as someone nearly tripped over one of the cats on the dance floor. "Bart!"  
  
"Huh?" He turned to her. "What?"  
  
"Remember when I used to wear my hat?" she said loudly, leaning in closer to him to be heard. He nodded. "Why did you always use to pull it off?"  
  
He stared at her and suddenly smirked. "There's only one reason a guy does that."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
He leaned in closer and said it in her ear. "I used to do that to see how beautiful you looked with your hair loose..."   
  
Wide eyed, she stared at him. "Really?"  
  
"Yup. You don't leave your hair loose enough times. I like it loose," he continued as he absently began playing with her ponytail. His lips brushed her ear, making her shudder. "That's the reason a guy does that... Because he likes her."  
  
Margie turned to him and pressed a kiss to his lips as this new revelation sank into her mind and was quickly forgotten along with everything else for the moment...  
  
  
  
*I know some of this stuff isn't really accurate, but, hey... Work with me people! Review please!* ^_^   



	11. A late Chapter 'leven

Author's Note: This has to be the longest it's taken me put out a new chapter. A whole week... I'm really, really sorry, but for the past several days, an idea got into my head and there was no getting it out until I jotted it down in my very old and used notebook. For those who are curious, it turned out to be my first Final Fantasy Tactics fic, "Who She Is Within". Read it people, please. And review while you're at it. Please? Pwetty pwease? Pwetty pwetty pwease? I'd be so grateful if you guys did! ^_^  
Oh, and don't forget to enjoy the latest installment for this story! (Geez girl, rant, rant, rant... Let the poor people read, already.)  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to me... Well, not really. It belongs to Squaresoft. Just checking if you guys were paying attention. :)  
  
  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
Margie stood just on the outskirts of Nortune and contemplated the grasslands that stretched on endlessly at either side. About twenty feet in front of her at the city gates, Rico and Sigmund were having a last minute 'civilized discussion'. They seemed to be prolonging it since they wouldn't be able to do this for a while. Margie just hoped Rico wouldn't cause the Kaiser to have heart failure or something. Sigmund's face was flushed angrily and the more Rico ignored him, the louder the old man got. She didn't think that was very good for him.  
  
"You don't think us taking Rico away will push the old man to kick the bucket, do you?" she asked worriedly as footsteps approached her from behind. She had immediately known it was Bart without even turning around.  
  
Bart snorted. "Yeah right. That old geezer wont expire until he's sure he's caused Rico as much grief as he possibly can. Sweet, isn't it?" Bart asked as he came to stand next to her and stare at the father and son, too. "To think so much about someone, even negatively, that you don't want to breath your last until you're absolutely sure you can't do any more... Now that's what I call a devoted father."  
  
Margie chuckled and he smiled, draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her close. "Come on, Margie. Let's leave these two tho their sentimental goodbye."  
  
*************************************************  
  
"This must be really hard on her." This from the Great Mother.  
  
"Yes. I could almost see the pain on her face." A wise comment from the Nanomachine girl.  
  
"I know she regrets hurting him. But I'm not so sure she regrets telling him off the way she did..." Observation done by Sophia's reincarnation.  
  
"Which is good. He needed to be told that what he was doing is hurting her as much as it's hurting him," Margie huffed, turning to frown at Billy's back a little.   
  
The ex-Etone was as oblivious of her disapproval as he was of the fact that Elly and Emeralda were also sitting there at the table in the Gun Room with her. The young gunman was sitting on one of the stools of Maison's counter and was concentrating on the plate of food in front of him.   
  
"Well, what did he say when you asked him about it?" Elly asked.  
  
Margie rolled her eyes heavenward. "That nothing was wrong. Nothing was different. He wasn't mad at Maria at all. She had a right to have her opinion, and a whole bunch of other nonsense," she muttered. "In a nutshell, nothing that was even remotely close to what he's really feeling."  
  
The three girls sighed and slumped in their chairs a little.  
  
"What are we going to do, then?" Emeralda asked quietly.  
  
"Well, there's nothing we really _can_ do," Elly murmured with a small frown. "Neither of them wants to talk to the other. They hardly even make eye contact. I guess we're gonna have to wait until they themselves figure this out..."  
  
Margie nodded slowly, resting her chin in her hands. It was clear those two weren't ready to talk yet. The way they avoided verbal communication was _so_ obvious, even Bart had noticed. What had he told her after she had explained the problem to him...? "Those two are so stuck on each other, something this small wont tear them apart... Now if only Billy would get off his high horse, maybe they'd actually GET somewhere."  
  
Margie chuckled a little as she remembered his words. Trust Bart to put the solution on such simple terms.   
  
The problem was that neither Billy nor Maria wanted to give an inch. Maria didn't want to apologize, saying she had only pointed out the truth to him. Billy said he wasn't angry with her, yet he clearly still didn't talk to her. There was something so... unnatural about having those two in the same room and seeing them completely ignore each other. It was also VERY irritating sometimes. But it was true. Those two had to figure this out themselves.  
  
Just then the door to the Gun Room swished open and Chu-Chu came rolling in. "The snow! The snow, chu guys! It's so pretty!"  
  
The little creature's excitement was quite palpable and the three girls grinned at each other before rushing out of the Gun Room and getting into the elevator. All four (including Chu-Chu) made their way up and ran to the bridge, nearly knocked Bart down when the door opened just as he was coming out.  
  
"Damn, what's the hurry?" he asked as they hurried pass him without even an apology. Margie stopped long enough to grab his hand and pull him along with her.  
  
Fei, Maria and Citan were already there and as the others joined them, it got quite crowded in the space right behind the wheel. The helmsman got a little intimidated with all these people around him, but from right there, they had the best view of the snow-covered island they were approaching.  
  
"Isn't it beautiful, Bart," Margie breathed as she got her glimpse of it on the large screen above the helm. A small island completely covered in white and surrounded by midnight-blue waters. It was so breathtaking.  
  
Bart smiled at her reaction and was glad he'd been here to witness this. Not the beautiful island, but the awe that brightened her features so nicely. "Yeah, I've never seen a lovelier sight."  
  
She glanced up at him and noticed he wasn't talking about the landscape. She smiled, blushing and for a minute she was lost in his gaze...  
  
...until Elly nudged her on the ribs and pointed silently.   
  
The door to the bridge had just swished open and Billy stepped in. No one but Maria payed him any extra attention, and her attention consisted of a frown and a sniff of disapproval before she turned her interest back to the screen.  
  
Billy just sighed and closed his eyes momentarily in frustration before walking over to stand among the rest of the group.  
  
Margie grinned at their progress. Hey, at least they weren't just ignoring each other completely anymore... Maybe they _would_ eventually get somewhere...  
  
**************************************************   
  
The snow was even more cold and powdery than Margie remembered. She had only been to this island once before; to properly introduce herself to Queen Zephyr a few months ago. Back then, she hadn't had much of a chance to fully enjoy the surroundings.  
  
Now, as she looked at all of the snow spread before her, she couldn't fight down the urge to just dive into it. With a last playful grin shot over her shoulder at the rest of the group, half of which were still in the Yggdrassil, she ran ahead with her fur cloak waving behind her like a flag.  
  
"Margie! Wait! You shouldn't rush off on your own!" Elly called after her.  
  
But Margie ignored her. The ruins of Shevat were only about a quarter mile in the distance and she didn't really see the danger in just being happy to be finally here.   
  
She climbed up a hill and looked down at the white expanse before her. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, but she didn't notice. She crouched down and ran her gloved hands over the loosely packed snow. This was exactly what she'd been looking forward to. She held her breath and just listened to the utter silence around her.  
  
Suddenly, her senses picked up a sound coming from behind. It was something so quiet, she probably wouldn't have caught it if she hadn't been holding her breath. Something told her this was not good and she tried to keep as still as possible. Fear welled up in her and she slowly, very slowly, began moving her hand toward the blade sheathed in her boot. As soon as her gloved fingers touched the cold steel, she pulled it free and stood up, turning halfway around all in one swift motion. But the creature was quicker.  
  
She barely had time to register all that white fur before it pounced on her and knocked her down so hard, her breath was knocked out completely. She fell sideways and the tremendous weight of the creature weighed down on her upper legs and shoulders, forcing her completely on her stomach. She could feel the cold snow under her cheek.  
  
She couldn't reach for her knife now! Panicking, she tried to struggle under its weight, but it was impossible. Her strenght wasn't enough!  
  
She felt its hot, foul breath so close to the back of her neck that she closed her eyes and quit breathing for a while. Her heart was pounding so hard and her body was shaking so much, and somewhere, her mind was screaming for help, but she couldn't quite get her mouth to work.  
  
She cried out involuntarily when the creatures claws squeezed and began cutting into the lower parts of her shoulders, near her shoulder-blades where it was holding her down from. White hot pain lanced into her and she cried out again when she felt the warmth of her own blood spilling down her back. Tears of pain slid down her face and she whimpered.  
  
The creature let out a low growl as it got the scent of her blood. Out of the corner of her eye she saw it bare its sharp teeth, and some of its drool fell on the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable...   
  
... And almost fainted when she heard a gunshot in the air followed by the creature's roar of pain. It jumped off of her and turned to glare at its attackers.   
  
Billy and Jessie kept their guns trained on the creature, ready to shoot at any moment as Bart came forward threatiningly with his whips. Margie couldn't even move. Her body felt paralized even if the creature was off her.  
  
The monster, which she could clearly see now, was a rather large snow wolf. She could see it was bleeding from its side, a trail of blood staining its white fur and dripping onto the pristine snow. It was pretty smart because instead of staying to most likely die in a fight against three humans, it decided to leave.  
  
As soon as it did, Bart put his whips away and ran to her, falling to his knees beside her. "Margie! Margie, are you okay?" he demanded. His worried gaze kept on travelling to her blood-stained back.   
  
"Is she all right?" Jessie asked, genuinly concerned  
  
"Margie, are you?" Billy questioned, swallowing.  
  
Margie suddenly burst into tears and Bart reached down to scoop her up gently, cradling her against him. "Shh, shh," he soothed as he gingerly turned her around. "Billy, come here and help me."  
  
Billy came forward, putting his gun away, and helped Bart deposit a weeping Margie onto the pirate's back, piggy-back style. He stepped back as Bart stood up and turned, going back in the direction they had come from. Jessie and Billy followed worriedly behind.   
  
"Don't worry, Margie. You're okay. I'm right here. Shh."  
  
Bart walked as fast as he could without making the trip too rough. He knew it would hurt like hell if he jarred her. He held her tightly from under her legs and hoped to God she would hold on. She continued sobbing onto his back and didn't look up, even when Fei, Elly, Emeralda and Maria finally caught up to them.  
  
"What happened, Bart?" Fei demanded as he saw the condition she was in. "We heard a gunshot and came as fast as we could."  
  
"She was attacked by a monster," Bart replied curtly as he continued walking.  
  
"Oh God, are you okay, Margie?" Elly asked, walking fast to keep up with Bart's pace. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood staining her upper-back.  
  
"She's fine," Bart snapped. "What we need is to get her to an infirmary fast!"  
  
Just then, Maria came forward. "Come on, we can go to the one in Shevat. It's better equipped."  
  
Bart was glad that at least SOMEONE was using their head, and quickly followed her.  
  
*******************************************************  
  
An hour or so later, Bart's patience was wearing _very_ thin as he walked down the corridors of Shevat, being followed by a very disgruntled nurse. The morbid nurse that always travelled with them on the Yggdrassil...  
  
"You should have told me, Bart! I thought you hired me for a reason and what am I better at than healing people! If she got hurt, you should have come straight to me! I would have had her on her feet by now! Who knows what these 'doctors' have done to the poor Great Mother! Did you even bother to find out what kind of training these people have gotten?! Credentials?! I'm sure that I'm WAY more capable than they are! It would have only taken me a couple of minutes and they've already lasted MORE THAN AN HOUR! You'd think she was dying or something-"  
  
Bart finally snapped.  
  
"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!!" he yelled at her.   
  
The nurse was clearly startled. But after she got through her initial shock, she sniffed and lifted her chin.  
  
"Well," she huffed, insulted. "If this is how I'm going to be treated for my concern, I'd rather wait on the ship, thank you very much."  
  
And with that, she whipped her hair around and made an exit.  
  
Bart stared after her in mild disgust. "Damn woman's talent is not in healing, but in acting," he muttered darkly before continuing on his way to the infirmiry.  
  
After Maria had led him to the infirmiry, he had looked around, frantically searching for someone who could give the bleeding girl he carried some medical attention. Margie had stopped crying and was only holding on to him, her face buried in his coat. He still hadn't heard a word out of her.  
  
All they had found after their search was a scatterbrained trainee-nurse snoring blissfully on one of the empty hospital beds. After Elly shook the woman awake, she had informed them that the doctor was out for lunch, before promptly falling asleep again. Emeralda smacked her awake this time and had asked in her threatening way where the hell the doctor was at, exactly.   
  
The trainee admitted that he was probably out flirting with the chef that worked in the restaurant a few corridors down.   
  
Thanking the girl as was Billy's way, Fei was the one to quickly run off and get the charming doctor.  
  
The problem was that because of Billy's kindness to the woman, she had immediately thrown herself at him, blind admiration shining in her eyes as she thanked him profusely. Apparently, no one had shown their appreciation for her in quite some time.   
  
Billy could do nothing but blush and weakly try to push her away.  
  
Under normal circumstances, this situation would have had Bart rolling on the floor with laughter, especially after he saw the homicidal expression on Maria's face and the way she walked up to them and stiffly pulled the gushing girl off Billy. Maria then proceeded to take the girl out to the corridor where they had a brief conversation no one was able to hear. After a moment, Maria came back in with a cheery smile. When asked where the trainee was at, she merely shrugged and said their 'scatterbrained friend' had found something better to do at the moment. Billy had swallowed nervously.  
  
The doctor showed up swiftly after that. He had immediately taken charge, instructing Bart to lay Margie down on her stomach on one of the beds. Bart put her down gently before he was quickly shoo'ed outta the room along with everyone else. When Bart tried to protest, all he got for his efforts was a door slammed in his face. Reminding the doctor that he _was_ the King of Aveh had gotten him no closer to an opportunity to stay inside with Margie than if he had just said he was a commoner. They were all forced to wait outside.  
  
The only one who had been allowed in was Citan when he arrived later, along with the rest of the group, who had been slower to hear the news.   
  
After forty-five minutes of nonstop pacing and worrying, Bart had decided that he'd better do something else to keep himself busy before he went completely insane waiting. Fei and Elly, who were sitting together with their arms wrapped around each other as comfort, had stared after him anxiously as he left.  
  
Bart had done everything that needed doing so the Yggdrassil and the crew would have no problems, and was now coming back after barely being informed by the Yggdrassil's nurse that nothing had changed. Margie was still in there with the doctors.  
  
He arrived at the waiting room and found a few of the party still there. Maria and Emeralda were sitting on a bench, talking softly and Billy and Primera were sitting on one across the room from them. Primera was holding on to Billy's hand tightly and Billy was staring at the floor. Elly was pacing methodically in the middle of the room, a worried frown on her face. She looked up when she noticed Bart's prescence.  
  
"Have they told you anything?" he asked worriedly.  
  
"No, nothing yet."  
  
He sighed and went over to sit down in an empty chair next to the door of her room, rubbing his gloved hands over his face and through his hair. This was so frustrating!  
  
Elly looked at him sympathetically and went over to sit down next to him. Reaching out, she patted his hand and gave it a warm squeeze.   
  
He glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the floor. Elly always seemed to surprise him. He'd already known her for a while, but she still managed to surprise him with her warmth and cheeriness. She was a good friend, no matter how many times he had tried to deny it in the past...  
  
"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," he said quietly.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Bart. I understand. You were really worried."  
  
He nodded and sighed. "Yeah. It's just that when I saw her pinned under that thing, Elly; scared, helpless... and then when I saw her lying there, her blood staining the snow..." he said, trying to explain what had gone through him. "The only thing I could think of was protecting her, getting her somewhere safe..."  
  
She nodded in understanding. "I know, Bart. It happens to all of us. How do you think I felt when Fei was unconscious on the Thames and we couldn't wake him up? It scares the shit outta you, if you'll pardon my language."  
  
He smiled a little and saw her smile in return. "Couldn't have said it better myself..."  
  
They sat there silently for a while until Bart spoke up.  
  
"Where'd Fei go? I thought he didn't let you out of his sight for more than five minutes?"  
  
"He went to go see Queen Zephyr and make sure Ramsus didn't try to talk to her without us present. Among all that's happening, this would be his perfect chance."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, we need to find out what Ramsus has dragged us out here for."   
  
Just then the door opened and Citan and the doctor stepped out. Everyone immediately got to their feet, Bart holding his breath for the news.  
  
"So, how is she?"  
  
Citan took of his glasses to clean them and smiled. "No need to worry about Marguerite, young one. She's young and strong and all she got were some bruises and about twenty stitches all together. I managed to heal most of her, but the wounds were pretty deep in some parts so the stitches were needed. She should be fine, though, in a couple of weeks. Two months at the most."  
  
The others looked at each other, happy and relieved. Bart couldn't keep the stupid grin off his face.  
  
"So, can I go see her?" he asked. "I'll be real careful, I promise."  
  
"Really quick, then. The painkillers we gave her made her drowsy and she's sleeping now," the doctor (who they still were ignorant about, namewise) said, moving aside to let him pass. "Five minutes. She needs her rest."  
  
Bart nodded quickly and stepped inside the room, the doctor closing the door softly behind him.  
  
He hesitated at the door and just stared at her for a minute. She was sleeping on her stomach, her face peaceful. Her back was bare in the linen pajama they had put her in, and he could see the white bandages over her pale skin. Her rich brown hair had been left loose and it fell silkily over her back, covering what the bandages didn't.   
  
Quietly, Bart made his way forward and sat down in a chair next to her bed. Careful not to wake her, he reached out and brushed her hair out of her face, just like he'd done once a little while ago. He felt something inside him trip up as she smiled in her sleep and snuggled into his touch.  
  
"Oh, crap," was all that he muttered as he sighed.   
  
Dammit, he had fallen for her. Hard. The hardest way possible. He loved with all of his being...  
  
Now, what to do about it...?  
  
  
  
To be continued... (obviously)  
  
  
  
*Hopefully, the next chapter wont take as long. And yes people, the Billy/Maria thing still hasn't been resolved... More to come!  
P.S. Don't forget to read and review my FFTactics fic! (I nag a lot...)* ^_~ 


	12. A very late Chapter Twelve

Author's Note: Not really much to say for this... Just enjoy! And review!  
p.s. It took so long to put out 'cuz I've been swamped with schoolwork. Not that anyone really cares...  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears is still the undisputed property of Squaresoft. However, I am working on that little angle... Mwahahahahaha! (Shadow Angel continues to cackle evilly.) ^_~*  
  
  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
Margie woke up sluggishly to find herself lying on her stomach in an unfamiliar bed. Her body was curiously numb, but the feeling was slowly coming back, pricklings that made her aware of her limbs again. And as awareness came, so did the aches. Dull aches right now because her body was still half numb.  
  
"Ah, you're awake."  
  
Margie turned her face up a little (since she couldn't quite make the rest of her body move), and focused sleepily on Citan who was standing a few feet away from her. He was putting his things away in that black bag he carried with him always.   
  
A doctor's bag, her brain slowly reminded.  
  
"Hullo, Citan. What are you doing in my room?" she asked on a yawn. "And where are the others? Prim and Chu-Chu?"  
  
"Marguerite, we're not on the Yggdrassil."  
  
"We're not. Where are we then?" she asked lazily, her eyes closing again. Something in her mind told her that the dull ache her body was in would soon increase and it was better to just sleep it off.  
  
"We're in Shevat."  
  
Margie's eyes snapped open and she immediately tried to sit up... only to gasp in pain and lie back down as her shoulderblades screamed in protest.  
  
She sank back down to her original position on her stomach and clenched her teeth, her breath hissing out through them as the fire on her back prevented her from moving.  
  
"It would be better if you _didn't_ move," Citan said, the suggestion quite useless now. He was still tidying up his stuff.  
  
Margie waited until the pain had faded before she finally asked. "Citan, why can't I move?" She was proud of how calm her question came out.  
  
Citan turned from the table his bag and things were at and gave her a curious look. "You do not remember?"  
  
"Remember what? What happened to me? Why can't I move?" This time, her voice quavered a little, some of her fear showing. It wasn't a nice feeling to wake up and find yourself unable to move because the pain was too sharp... "Why does my back hurt?"  
  
He came forward and touched her forehead with his cool, gentle hand. "Hmm. No fever..." he murmured, a small frown creasing his brow. "It must be the shock, then."  
  
Margie stared at him, confusion and little bits of fear poking at her uncomfortably. ~What happened to me...?~  
  
The doctor finally crouched in front of her and looked her directly in the eyes. His voice was quiet, gentle. And soothed her as he told her what had happened to put her in this position.  
  
"When we arrived here yesterday morning, you ran off by yourself and a monster attacked you. Luckily, Bart, Billy, and Jessie decided to follow you and were able to scare the creature away before he could do much harm. Your shoulderblades were cut, though, and you lost some blood so we had to immediately take you to an Infirmary and get you some medical aid. But now you're fine and healing well. All you have to do is try not to move much until I can finish healing your back properly."  
  
Margie could only stare and blink as she tried to remember all of what he told her had happened. It was slowly coming back, but she still could't remember everything. What she did remember, though, was the pain and the fear she had felt. And then the ocean of relief when she saw Bart coming. The rest was too blurry...   
  
"This all hapened yesterday?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"Yesterday about an hour before noon, if I remember correctly," Citan said, patting her hand as he stood up and went back to his doctor's bag.  
  
Margie frowned thoughtfully and a sudden, horrible thought came to her. "Doctor Uzuki, you said I can't move until the healing's done, right?"  
  
"Mm-hmm," he confirmed as he lifted a stethoscope up to the light before putting it away.  
  
"And how long do you think my healing will take?" she asked, biting her lip in apprehension.  
  
"Oh, another week and a half, I'd say."  
  
"What!? But why so long!?" she exclaimed in surprise. "You have your magic, don't you!?"  
  
He turned and gave her a brief smile. "I have to use my magic only a bit at a time so you wont be left with any scars and so the tissues and muscles may heal right. If I rush it, I could damage you further."  
  
Margie's heart sank and she sighed, burying her face in her pillow. "I'm not going to be able to go out to the snow for a whole week and a half... Can things get any more horrible?"  
  
**************************************************  
  
Apparently, they could.  
  
Margie was stupid enough to ask for a room with a window. If she couldn't touch the snow, she could at least see it and get a bit of satisfaction from that, right?  
  
Wrong.  
  
**************************************************  
  
The snow fell in a feathery rain that softly blanketed everything in sight. Laughter and screams of delight echoed across the white expanse as families and friends played, dived, and rolled in the white powder in complete abandon. Bliss...  
  
Needless to say, it made Margie want to scream in frustration. She stared at all the people outside from within her room, kneeling on one of the beds as she looked out the window (yes, she could move with relative ease now) at all the fun going outside without her being able to join in. It just was NOT FAIR!  
  
"Ugh! I want to go outside!" she complained for the twentieth time.  
  
Maria, who was sitting on a chair next to the bed, just sighed and shook her head. Things were not going as planned. She was supposed to keep Margie occupied so the young Great Mother wouldn't sulk about being kept inside. So far, she was failing miserably.  
  
"Margie, it's your move," the young mechanic reminded.  
  
Margie turned away from the window and frowned at the chess board set up between them. They had been playing this game for the last hour and she was losing. She wasn't paying attention to it at all. Her mind and her eyes kept on drifting to the white flakes that fell outside her window.  
  
Margie sighed and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Maria. I'm not really paying attention. I can't help it."  
  
Maria nodded in understanding and shrugged. "It's okay. I understand. So, what do you want to do?"  
  
"Honestly? Nothing, but go outside," Margie answered, turning to stare out the window again.   
  
"But you can't do that. Not for another few days at least."  
  
"I know. Doesn't stop me from wanting to, though."   
  
So far, she had kept herself from going insane. Having freedom (and that damn snow) just a stone's throw away, but not being able to do anything about it was very hard on the mind. Not to mention the spirit.   
  
In the past five days, she had been visited by the whole gang, including a surprising visit from Kahr and Dominia. Kahr had been kind and Dominia... well, Dominia had been civilized, at least. She hadn't tried to kill her. Margie figured that was the best anyone could get out of the femal Solarian.  
  
What had irritated her to no end, though, was the _way_ all these people had come to visit. Snow on their coats from their recent romp outside. Their faces disgustingly healthy; flushed from the cold and the fun. The way they couldn't stop talking and gushing over the perfect weather outside...  
  
Okay, so maybe she _was_ acting bitter. But it was so frustrating! Thankfully, they had finally gotten the hint when Rico had peeked into her room one time, and had received a pillow in the face for being completely covered in snow. Apparently, Emeralda had shoved him into a snow bank.  
  
That wasn't the only thing that had gotten her in a lousy mood, though. Bart hadn't been visiting her much. His appearances were short and numbered very few. Almost like he was avoiding her or something. She was quietly seething about that. Once she got her hands on him...  
  
Knowing that her wishes to go outside were useless right now, Margie turned to Maria and tried to be a little more cheerful. She still had a mission to complete anyway. "So, have you and Billy put your differences aside yet?"  
  
Maria only frowned and crossed her arms, which was all the answer Margie needed.  
  
"You haven't apologized to him, then."  
  
Maria's dark green eyes flashed. "Why should I have to apologize!? He was the one acting like a jerk! Badmouthing his Dad the way he was and acting like a brat! I'd say he's the one that has to apologize!"  
  
Margie smiled a little at the younger girl's angry face and wondered if she should tell her that, well... "Um, Maria..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Billy's right behind you."  
  
Maria swiveled in her seat so fast, she nearly fell off her chair. She stared at the figure standing in the doorway and she blanched.  
  
"Uh... Billy..."  
  
"_I_ should apologize?" he asked with a frown as he stepped into the room. "You think _I_ should apologize? Hmph. You're the one that insulted me!"  
  
Maria seemed to get her wits back at that moment because she glared right back at him and stood up. "All the things I said were the plain truth! I just pointed them out!"  
  
Billy's normally calm aquamarine eyes narrowed dangerously and he was about to retort, when Margie suddenly stood up and stepped in between them, her sapphire eyes brightening considerably. They were finally 'talking' after a week of ignoring each other. Now all she had to do was direct the discussion the right way...  
  
"Hey, come on you two," she began as she pushed them away from each other a little. She nudged Billy down on the bed that was next to hers and then turned to Maria, who was still standing. With a sharp look directed at the young mechanic, Margie got her to sit down on her bed without a protest.  
  
Margie took the chair Maria had previously occupied and sat down between them as the mediator. She'd have them talking by the end of the day for sure. She had nothing better to do anyway.  
  
"Alright, it's time to clear this up, you two. You've been ignoring each other for the past week or so. Isn't that enough already? You guys are friends. Good friends, I might add. Shouldn't we be able to get pass this?"  
  
Maria crossed her arms and looked away. "I have nothing else to say to him that I haven't already shared."  
  
Margie silently sighed and turned to Billy. Hopefully, he'd be more mature about this...  
  
"I wont talk to her until _she_ apologizes," the ex-Etone muttered.  
  
Okay, maybe not. They both wanted to act like children about this, so be it. She'd treat them like children.   
"Maria, you apologize to Billy for what you said about him," Margie ordered, her tone icy.  
  
Maria turned to her, a confused frown on her face. "And why should I?" she demanded.  
  
"Because you know you're not happy with this distance between you," Margie retorted. At Maria's guilty look, Margie softened her voice. "You're just being stubborn because you want him to see things your way. I know."  
  
Maria stared down at her lap and didn't say anything.  
  
Margie turned to Billy and saw the guilty look in his eyes, too. "Billy, you have to understand that you hurt her with the way you treat your dad. If she hurt you with her words, she didn't really mean it. Maria sometimes has a hard time expressing her feelings, especially when it comes to friendship and forgiveness. Most of her life, she spent thinking about revenge. She's clumsy at this. But you can tell she's getting better at it. She apologized to Tolone when she almost got into that fight, remember? You just have to be patient with her. We're her friends, after all."  
  
Billy flushed a little and nodded. Maria was completely crimson. Margie knew she had put them both on the spot, but she also knew they both had a hard time getting their emotions across. And she didn't want to see them drift apart for one fight. She loved them both too much.  
  
Maria cleared her throat and looked up, her face still flushed. But she looked at Billy straight in the eye. "I-I'm sorry, Billy, for yelling at you. I know it wasn't my place to tell you what I did, but it really does piss me off that you don't appreciate your dad when he's right there for you. I wish I was that lucky..."  
  
Billy sighed and shook his head. "It's okay, Maria. What I did was wrong because I hurt you with what I said. I should be more tactful around you." Then his eyes hardened a little. "But, I wont apologize for what I feel. What I feel towards my dad is not something you can't really understand. I don't think anyone really can."  
  
Maria looked like she was about to say something about that, but Margie shut her up with a look. Now was not the time to point out that he was wrong or whatever it was she was about to say. Maria rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet.   
  
"Okay, now that we've settled that," Margie said cheerfully, standing up. "Let's all go outside and have a nice snow war. Anyone with me?"  
  
The other two looked at each other, then at her, and shook their heads firmly.  
  
"Damn. I thought I could trick you two while you were emotionally vulberable..." Margie muttered as she stomped back to her bed.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*I apologize for the lack of a Bart appearance in this chapter, but it was necessary. Not to worry, though. The next chapter will be full of his kawaii presence. ^_~ And yes, it will be out sooner this time. I promise!* 


	13. Yes, Chapter Thirteen

Author's Note: Hookay... That should've given you an idea of how much one of my promises are worth... I wont make any such promise this time, since I know I won't be able to get the next chapter out till after the 1st of June. I'll be gone till then, that's why. Anywho, this story is getting closer to it's end, but there might be a sequel or something. Based on Billy and Maria most likely. If you guys want one, that is. Don't hesitate to ask in your reviews. ^_^  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Squaresoft = Xenogears. Simple.  
  
  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
Bart was sitting outside in the gently falling snow. He sat on a low boulder with a small frown on his face as the rest of his friends ran around wildly, hurling snowballs at each other.  
  
Bart was preoccupied. Very preoccupied. In fact, you could almost say he was brooding. Something he'd only done about once or twice in his entire existence. Bart didn't usually "brood" about things. He usually just jumped blindly and enjoyed the thrill of the unknown, a part of him trusting he'd land intact.   
  
The problem this time, though, was that what he was brooding over was too important. He couldn't just leap and hope things would turn out okay. Not this time.  
  
He was a little shaken as he realized how important she was. How important she'd always been. He'd never really thought about it before; had always taken her presence for granted. Something inside him reassured that she'd always be there; counted on her always being there for him. He didn't know what he would do if she ever... disappeared from his life.  
  
The recent incident had been like a bucketful of cold water poured over his head. He was suddenly aware that something could mercilessly snatch her away from him. He had nearly lost her three times already. And this frightening knowledge had forced him to realize just how precious Margie was to him.  
  
The problem was that he didn't know exactly what to do about it.  
  
"Heads up!"  
  
The young king barely had time to look up before he received a faceful of snow that made him lose his balance. With a muffled yelp (half the snow ended up in his mouth, somehow), he fell backwards from his perch and ended up flat on his back on the snow. He heard a chuckle above him somewhere.  
  
"Well, I _did_ warn you."  
  
Irritated, Bart wiped the snow from his face and glared up at Fei, who was grinning down at him. "You wanna get your ass kicked, Fong Wong?"  
  
"What? By you?" Fei snorted.  
  
Glaring balefully, Bart leaped to his feet in his quick reflexes and grabbed several handfuls of snow before he began chasing the martial artist down. Fei only laughed and dodged as he ran around other people.   
  
Somehow or other, one of their wayward snowballs managed to hit Tolone, who had been holding a rather large snowball in her hands and standing behind Seraphita. It hit the silver-haired Element on her shoulder, nearly making her drop her big snowball. Seraphita continued building her snowman, oblivious of the fact that the snowball originally intended for her was thrown instead at Fei, who couldn't stop laughing as an annoyed Bart, and now, an enraged Tolone chased after him.   
  
The snowball Tolone had thrown missed Fei and accidentally hit Emeralda on the back of her head. The nanomachine girl gasped as the cold hit her and turned from her contemplation of the snow angels she and Elly had made. Her amber eyes narrowed dangerously. Once she saw where all the trouble was coming from, she stuck her booted foot out and tripped Fei as he ran past her.   
  
The guy landed flat on his face amidst a cloud of white powder that rose around him. The other three looked at each other in silent understanding, nodded, and then began bombarding the felled martial artist with their snowballs.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
"You're just lucky Elly came when she did," Bart said, not even bothering to keep the amusement out of his voice as he watched the the trainee-nurse bandage Fei around the temples.   
  
Fei only turned and glared at him accusingly. "I still think it was you who threw that snowball at me that 'accidentally' had a rock in it."  
  
Bart's eyebrows rose and he crossed his arms. "Why me? Why not Tolone, or Emeralda for that matter? One _is_ a Solarian if you remember correctly. One who doesn't really like you."  
  
But Fei only shook his head, wincing as the trainee-nurse stopped the movement. "Nah, only you would try something that underhanded on your own best friend."  
  
"I'm hurt, Fei. Really I am."  
  
"Yeah, well not as hurt as you're gonna be once we get back outside."  
  
Bart laughed and sat down on the bed next to Fei. He waited until the trainee finished with the bandaging and left the Infirmary before he stood up again to give the room a quick check. "Good, there's no one here."  
  
Fei gave the young King a weird look as he lied down on the bed. "What's up with you?"  
  
Bart came over and sat down on the bed across from Fei's. "Margie must be out having lunch or something. I hear she's been getting more impatient each day and sneaks out any chance she gets," Bart said, grinning at the thought of the girl showing up at the cafeteria in her linen nightgown.  
  
"I would think you'd want to be with her," Fei remarked, stating the obvious as he saw it. "Elly says you've been avoiding Margie ever since she's been stuck in here. As a matter of fact, she told me to give you a nice, long talk about how rude and callous and completely idiotic you can be sometimes."  
  
Bart frowned at Fei's grin. "How much of that did _Elly_ say?"  
  
"I added a couple of words," Fei said, shrugging. But then he turned serious. "No, really, Bart. You haven't exactly been the most attentive guy around her. Hell, even Kelvena, Tolone, and Seraphita have given her longer visits than you have."  
  
Bart stared at the floor guiltily. "I know..."  
  
"So why the sudden cold-shoulder? Don't you care about her...?"  
  
Bart looked up, his sapphire gaze sharp. "That's exactly it, Fei. I care about her. Too much." He glanced at the floor again, whispering, "It scares me a little."  
  
Fei sat up and patted his friend's shoulder understandingly. "I kinda figured. But there's nothing wrong with caring about her. Sure, it's scary, but-"  
  
"Fei, I don't just care about her," Bart interrupted. "I love her."  
  
Fei was rendered speechless for a moment. Once he recovered, he laughed and clapped his best friend on the back in congratulation. "Bart, that's great! About time, might I add? She's had a long enough wait, in my opinion."  
  
"I haven't told her," Bart mumbled. He was still focused on the floor.  
  
"Well, why the hell not? You should tell her-"  
  
"I want it to be perfect."  
  
"I, well, I guess that's a reason. Didn't know you were the romantic type, but hey. A girl can change your views on how you do things..." Fei trailed off, thinking of his Elhaym. She had completely changed _his_ way of thinking. Things hadn't seemed as hopeless when she was around. Even the darkest situation had had some light in it.  
  
Fei turned and studied Bart. "So, what are you going to do?"  
  
Bart looked up at Fei and smiled a little, his usual self-assurance coming back. "Well, I did have a plan..."  
  
*************************************************  
  
Margie didnt know why she woke up, but she did. Something urged her to, like a sixth sense or something. The young Great Mother sat up in bed in her dark room and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand and yawned as she looked at it. 5:04 a.m. Way too early for her to be waking up.  
  
Yawning again, she was about to lie back down when she heard footsteps outside in the corridor. Her still half-asleep mind reminded her that Zephyr kept guards around at all times. She lied down and closed her eyes. Then snapped them open again when her door suddenly swished open quietly.  
  
Lying still, she couldn't see much in the dark, so she reached over to her nightstand slowly and grabbed her dagger as quietly as she could. No way she was going to be caught helpless again. Holding her blade ready, she reached out for the light switch with her other hand as the footsteps approached her bed. Once they were close enough to nearly touch her, she turned on the lamp and jumped her attacker, knocking him down to the floor. The element of surprise had been in her hands!  
  
She landed on top of the intruder and held the knife up to her assailants throat. Her eyes still had to get used to the sudden light, but once they focused...  
  
"Margie! Would you get off of me!?"  
  
Blinking in surprise, she recognized his irritated voice. "Bart?"  
  
"Yes, Bart. Geez, who did you think it was? A burglar?"  
  
"Well, the thought did come to me..." Margie said sheepishly. Her eyes finally got used to the light and she finally saw Bart's annoyed expression beneath her. She giggled softly at the way he was glaring at her and the knife she was holding to his throat. She pulled it away and bit her lip to keep the laughing in check.  
  
"This is the second time you threaten me with that knife, you know," he grumbled.   
  
Margie laughed again, making his frown deepen. "Well, it was your own fault. You should know better than to sneak into a girl's room at night." She blushed and giggled wickedly. "What did you think was going to happen? Me kicking you out should've been your first thought."  
  
He gave an exasperated sigh and banged the back of his head against the carpeted floor in frustration. "Margie, would you quit? I'm humiliated enough as it is."  
  
"But I'm having so much fun teasing you," she whispered with a smile. For revenge on his lack of visits in the past week, Margie leaned down and brushed her lips feather-light over his jaw. She felt him stiffen and her lips curved as she pressed them against his throat in a sequence of soft kisses. She felt his grip tighten on her arms where he was holding her from, and silently cheered at her accomplishment. He began pushing her away a little and when he spoke, his voice wasn't all that steady.  
  
"Margie... Margie, maybe you should go back to bed, hmm? You... you need to rest..."  
  
"But I thought this is what you had in mind..." Grinning, she fisted her hands on the collar of his vest and began pulling him up as he breathed in shakily. He stood up obediently enough when she kissed him full on the lips repeatedly, and she began leading him around her bed. Roaming her hands over his body, she bit his lip before he could notice the way she was taking him. The bite caught him completely by surprise and he lost all sense of direction, focusing on nothing else but her.   
  
She was having a hard enough time keeping herself free of the spell, but she finally reached her destination. The door opened with a swish and she gave him a final kiss before she pushed him out the door and closed it behind him. The dazed look on his face was priceless.   
  
Bart didn't realize what had happened until her door swished closed right in front of him. He stood there for a while, in the darkness of the corridor and momentarily wondered what had gone wrong. When his blood began pumping normally again, he became aware of the way she had just maneuvered him out of her room... and shot his plans completely to hell.  
  
Swearing under his breath, Bart knocked on her door (he knew she had locked it this time) as quietly as he could. Everyone was still asleep, after all.   
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"Margie," he hissed. "Margie, open the door! Come on, please? I swear I didn't come tonight for what you think I did. I just wanted to surprise you with something, but it all went wrong when we ended up on the floor. Come on, open up! You'll like the surprise, I promise."  
  
When the door continued to stay in his way, Bart sighed and leaned his back against it. "Stupid girl always has to muddle my way of thinking," he muttered under his breath. He was completely caught by surprise when the door swished open, nearly depositing him on the floor of her room. He caught himself just in time and turned to look at her.  
  
"I heard that, you jerk," she said, her arms crossed as she stood in the doorway, silhoutted by the light streaming out into the dark corridor. She didn't look too happy. "Now, tell me what you want so I can go to sleep."  
  
Bart suddenly grinned and reached out to take her hands, uncrossing them from their position. "Margie, get dressed, okay? Don't ask questions, just do what I say."  
  
She frowned at him, confused by his order. "What are you plan-" but she was cut off when he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her.  
  
"No questions, Margie. Just do it. Please? For me?"  
  
She continued to look at him suspiciously, but finally nodded. "Alright. But only because you got me curious now."  
  
He sighed in relief when the door closed behind her and she went to get dressed. For a minute there, he had thought she wasn't going to do it...  
  
She came back out a few minutes later dressed in trousers and a sweater. She had slipped her boots on, but her hair was still messy; tousled from sleep. She looked so pretty with her hair loose and that suspicious gleam in her sapphire eyes, he thought with a faint smile.  
  
Margie didn't know what to think, but when she saw that goofy smile on his face, she guessed it was probably something good. She wasn't going to fall so easily, though. Not yet, anyway. "Whatever you're planning, Bart, it better be worth it me having to wake up this early in the morning."  
  
"Oh, don't worry. It will be. Come on." Taking her hand in an unconscious gesture, he began leading her down the dimly lit corridors. He liked the way her hand fit into his. It felt so soft against his calloused skin, and that made him smile.  
  
"Where are we going, Bart?" Margie whispered. Despite her misgivings, his enthusiasm was contagious and she found herself looking forward to whatever he had planned.  
  
He turned to her and gave her a mischeivous grin. "I'm sneaking you outta here."  
  
"What?" Her eyes wide, she stared at him. "What do you mean, you're sneaking me outta here? Why?"  
  
"Because I know how miserable you've been, stuck inside. I know you need to be outside, under the sunlight. So I'm helping you do that."  
  
"But... I... but... Maison will..." She trailed off.  
  
"Hey, it'll be just like old times. Remember how I used to help you escape lessons at the Cathdral when we were kids and how we used to hide up at the tower where the bells were at."  
  
She smiled softly as the memories of so many days spent up in those dusty old rooms came back to her. "How could I forget? Maison must've aged two decades for all the scares we gave him."  
  
Bart gave her hand a squeeze and the impish gleam in his eye had her laughing along with him.  
  
They reached a short ladder at the other end of the corridor and Bart grabbed a large bundle he had left there. He pulled out two coats, giving one to her. "I know they took your coats away once they figured you would sneak out the first chance you got," he said as they slipped into the warmth of the furs. He gave her a scarf and a pair of gloves, too.   
  
Once they were ready, he led the way up the ladder, the bundle slung over his shoulder. Wondering what he carried in it, Margie followed him up and he helped her up with one hand.   
  
The snow was falling in gentle flakes from the dark sky and Margie stared at it in awe, a smile lighting up her features. The sky was slowly changing from a midnight-blue to a faint pink and Bart led her over to the ledge of the large balcony. Their fingers were entwined as they stared out at the white expanse and the slowly lightening sky.  
  
"You brought me to see the sunrise with you," Margie whispered as she watched the pink spread in the sky. Her throat tightened and she bit her lip as a surge of emotions choked her. Looking up at him, she saw the seriousness of his face as he studied her. "This is the best, most thoughtful, most beautiful thing you could have ever done..."  
  
"So you like it, right?" He grinned. "It was worth waking up for, right?"  
  
She began laughing, but it somehow turned into a sob. She pressed her gloved fingers over her mouth before she could embarass herself further, but he pulled it away as he leaned in and kissed her gently.  
  
"Like your surprise?" he murmured against her lips.  
  
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him passionately as her answer. With his arms encircling her waist, she felt as if her whole world was right here and nothing else beside this mattered.   
  
And when he leaned down and whispered something in her ear, she knew she was right.   
  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
*Okay, so I left you guys hanging again. ^_^ You must all hate me by now. But aren't they kawaii?* 


	14. Can a chapter be any later?

Author's Note: Yes, I don't believe it either. . . Nearly a whole month with no update. . . You can all pelt me with rocks now. . .   
Anyway, I don't think that my last couple of chapters have been up to par. For some reason, they're not as good (in my opinion) as the rest of my chapters. I'd like to apologize for that, but I think it's because of all the stories that have been running rampant in my mind. The list so far includes a Final Fantasy VII Alternate Universe fic, another Slayers fic, another Final Fantasy Tactics fic (once again centering around Agrias), the sequel for this fic "I'm Myself First" (yes Justin-san, I'm working on it ^_^), and last but not least, a Final Fantasy IX fanfic that has been in my head since I beat the game last month. I already have the prologue and most of chapter one for that one written, but it still needs some work. So be on the lookout for my FFIX fic, which will be entitled "Deeper Than Friendship". Cheesy title, neh? =)  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft. Who else would own such a great RPG?  
  
  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Margie had never known that dawn in a land blanketed by snow could be so beautiful. The sudden warmth from the sun barely peeking over the horizon felt so completely wonderful on you after a few minutes of standing in the freezing cold that came with the dark. And Margie hadn't felt the warmth of the sun in nearly two weeks. So she completely enjoyed it.  
  
She ran around in the small space of the oversized balcony (which she had now figured out was a part of the roof) as the snow fell in gentle flakes around her and Bart aimed snowballs at her. She couldn't stop laughing as she dodged around them and tried to hit him with some of her own.   
  
Now, this is what she had been waiting for; this complete abandon of royalty and duties, even if it was just for a few hours.   
  
Margie giggled as one of her snowballs hit Bart directly on the chest. He looked up at her and grinned ferally as he saw her giggling and her flushed face, but before he could retaliate, she ran up to him and tackled him, once again forcing him to the ground like she had this morning.   
  
He was trapped underneath her and she knew it; he could tell by the mischievous grin on her face. She reached down and effectively disarmed him by twining her gloved fingers with his, making him drop his snowballs. She was a cunnning one, he admitted. Then she leaned down and kissed him fully, her lips warm against their otherwise cold surroundings.   
  
Very cunning, indeed. . .  
  
When she pulled away, she gave him such a soft look. It was happy, but at the same time vulnerable.   
  
"Tell me again, Bart? Please? Tell me what you told me earlier," she murmured, laying her head down on his chest.  
  
Smiling, Bart began playing with her silky stands of hair and told her what she wanted to hear. "I love you, Margie. I always have and I always will."  
  
He could feel her breathe in shakily, and her fingers slipped out of his so she could wrap her arms around his neck. When she glanced up at him, her face was serenely happy; slightly flushed from the running and the cold and the sudden surge of emotion. Her eyes were a soft sapphire and he could see the snowflakes that had caught on her hair and eyelashes glimmer slightly as the sun began shining their way.   
  
"I love you, too, Bart," she said with a more assured smile. "With all my heart."  
  
And even though they were lying on the fresh snow, they didn't feel the cold as the day dawned brilliantly.  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
Margie was surprised to find that Bart had not only planned on them watching the sunrise; he also had a breakfast packed for them. So, after playing around for a little while, they sat down and enjoyed a warm breakfast as they watched the sun slowly rise higher in the sky. Even the gentle flakes of snow had stopped falling. It was perfect.  
  
Margie kept peeking at Bart out of the corner of her eyes as she sipped at her mug of cocoa. He had a slice of bacon in his hand and was chewing at it while he stared up at the sky. She once again marveled at what he had told her.  
  
'I love you, Margie.'  
  
That one small, little sentence; a grouping of four words that had left her breathless and had her heart jumping into her throat, threatening to choke her. He had finally told her. And she had finally been able to tell him what had been aching to get out of her heart for a while now.  
  
Life could be so good, sometimes.  
  
But when things were this good, something was bound to go wrong. Like, say, someone finally figuring out that she was gone. . .  
  
The trap door burst open behind them and they both turned around to see a breathless looking Maison standing halfway out of the trap door.   
  
Margie's "I-can-explain" defense immediately kicked in once she saw the stern look he gave them.  
  
"So, this is where you've been," the retired Knight began in a deceptively mild tone.  
  
Margie's memories of escaping lessons and then having to explain her disappearances to this man (who could be very SCARY when he was angry) all came back in a rush, making her stand up immediately. She also said the first thing that came to her mind.  
  
"It was Bart's fault!" she sputtered, the way she had all throughout her early childhood. And of course, Bart immediately became defensive.  
  
"Hey! That's not true! She wanted to escape long before I decided to give her a hand!"  
  
Margie turned and glared at him, but Maison interrupted before they actually began exchaging insults the way they used to when they were kids.  
  
"Miss Marguerite, do you know how long I've been searching for you, worried that you could've been hurt again?" Maison asked with a calm Margie didn't trust one bit.  
  
She squirmed under his direct stare, and it felt like she was eight all over again, standing in front of him with an ashamed look on her face while she dripped lake water on his clean floor. It had been that time that Bart had double-dared her to jump into the Nisan lake from one of the taller hills and Maison had found them just in time to witness her leap and her dangerous landing in the freezing water below. She was sure that his poor heart had stopped beating for the long time she had stayed underwater to give Bart a scare. How was she supposed to know he had also been watching, frozen to his spot until she resurfaced?  
  
And now that she stood in front of him once again, not dripping water, but still shivering a little in the cold, she felt like she had done the same stupid thing all over again. Sighing, she looked at the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry I scared you, Maison," she apologized, just like she had on that day so long ago. But she looked up and gave him a direct stare. "But I'm not sorry about sneaking out. You guys were driving me nuts keeping me locked up in that room! Bart at least understood me enough to know that I needed to get out for a while."  
  
Behind her, Bart grinned as he saw Maison hang his head a little in shame. She was _really_ cunning. . . To make even the rock-solid Maison break a little. He had never been able to do that, and he had lived with the old man for most of his eighteen years of life.  
  
Margie reached out and gave Maison a hug once she saw how her words had affected him. "It's okay, Maison. I'll never scare you like that again, okay?"  
  
The old Knight sighed and patted her back in affection. "Good, Miss Marguerite. It's just that when Miss Elhaym told me that you weren't in your room or in any of the other girls' rooms, I panicked."  
  
Margie nodded against his shoulder. "Yes, Maison, I understand."  
  
"Besides," Bart began as he stood up behind them. They both turned to him and he smiled, his gaze focusing on Margie. "You know I'll always be there for her, Maison. I wont let anything happen to her."  
  
Margie smiled, bu her eyebrows raised a bit. "And who said I needed your protection, your Majesty? I can do just fine on my own, thank you very much."  
  
Bart rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head. "You've sure proved that. Let's see, you got kidnapped by that bastard Shakhan, then you got shot on the leg, and now you're still healing from your run in with that-"  
  
"All right!" Margie interrupted, her sapphire eyes flashing in annoyance as Bart smirked. "You've proved your point! Now, shall you _escort_ me to my room to make sure that I don't suddenly slip and twist my pretty little ankle, or do I have to hire more bodyguards to keep my accident-proned self safe?"  
  
The sarcasm in her voice was thick enough to make Maison wince. But Bart merely gave her a mocking bow before Margie "hmph'ed" and began making her way down the trap door. The young King quickly went after her, and as Maison peeked through the trap door, he saw him catch up to her to continue their arguing. But he also saw the way their hands unconciously reached for each other. They didn't seem to notice, and so, they continued walking, holding hands while they bickered.  
  
Shaking his head ruefully, Maison smiled in relief. Well, it was about time. . . For a while now, he had been thinking that he'd probably have to shove their arranged marriage in their faces before either of them finally told the other how they felt. It was good to know they had done it on their own.  
  
  
***********************************************  
  
Margie was rudely woken up some time later by three different hands.   
  
Opening her eyes sleepily, the Great Mother lifted her head from her pillow and tried to focus on the ones that had woken her up. She had fallen asleep on her stomach (out of habit now, not because of her back), so she had a hard time seeing who it was.  
  
"What do you want?" she yawned as she lied back down and closed her eyes again. She had been having a nice dream; one where she and a golden-haired prince had been promising their undying love to the other under the roof of the Cathedral. . .  
  
~Moving a little too fast, aren't we, my girl?~  
  
"Margie! Wake up, would you!"  
  
Margie opened her eyes once again, and this time she forced them to stay open. Eventually, her vision got clear enough that she was able to make out the pink of a very familiar dress about a foot in front of her.   
  
"Maria?" she murmured sleepily.  
  
"Yes, Maria. And Elly and Emeralda, too." The girl's voice sounded grumpy.  
  
"Oh, isn't that nice," Margie yawned again, without much interest. Her brain was begging for sleep.  
  
"Bart's here, too."  
  
She immediately sat up and glanced around, only to see Elly grin mischievously from where she was sitting on the desk chair. "Kidding. Just needed to use that to wake you up."  
  
Maria and Emeralda giggled while Margie scowled at them all in general. "Real funny," she muttered, but at the same time she began stretching. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and sighed when she saw the time. 7:46 a.m. They hadn't even let her sleep a whole hour. . .  
  
"So, Margie," Maria began as she plopped down on the bed next to her. Emeralda lifted herself up on the desk, close to Elly and they all gave her curious looks. "Elly came looking for you earlier this morning so we could all have breakfast together, but we found the room empty. Care to share with us where you were so early?"  
  
"I, um, well. . ." Margie trailed off as she all their knowing smiles. Damn it, had Maison been babbling it around? Not that she cared, but that _was_ supposed to have been private. It was. . . too special. . .  
  
"So, what happened?" Elly urged, leaning forward. "We heard that you sneaked out with him last night, and that Maison found you guys on the roof. Doing what, we haven't cleared up yet, though."  
  
Blushing all shades of red at what was implied, Margie managed to shake her head repeatedly as the others began giggling again.   
  
"I, we, uh, didn't. . . no way. . . all a lie. . ." Margie took a deep breath and tried again. "We weren't doing anything. . ."  
  
Emeralda gave her a smile as she fumbled. "We are just curious as to what happened. We know you didn't do anything like that."  
  
"Oh, do we?" Maria asked, turning and grinning mischievously at Margie. "As far as I heard, Maison was pretty angry at you guys. Why exactly _was_ he so angry, hmm?"  
  
With a growl, Margie picked up her pillow and swatted Maria with it on the face, causing the other girl to giggle some more. At the opposite side of her room, Elly stiffled her chuckle and shook her head.  
  
"Hey, Margie, you know we're just teasing. Like Em said, we know you didn't do anything. But we _do_ want to find out what exactly happened between you two. If you're willing to share, that is."  
  
Em and Maria nodded in agreement, the latter still straightening up her hair as she smiled.  
  
Margie looked at each of them in turn, at their curious faces, and finally sighed. "Alright. But you guys are going to have to wait until I get dressed and we get down to the cafeteria. I'm still kinda hungry."  
  
Okay, so Bart was right in that loving description he had made. She _did_ eat like a starved horse. . .  
  
  
***********************************************  
  
Bart was tired. Very tired. Not only had he been forced to wake up at a time that no normal person would even consider "morning", but he hadn't been able to get much sleep after that. By the time he had gotten to his room after escorting Margie, it had already been seven a.m. and Maison was already there, waiting for him.  
  
Maison had immediately gotten him busy with all kinds of things that needed doing for the meeting that would be held later that morning. Zephyr had finally decided that when Ramsus revealed his news, she wanted representatives from Kislev, Aveh, and Nisan there with her as well as her own Councilmen. They would all be allowed to listen to whatever it was that Kahr had to say.  
  
So now, nearly an hour later, Bart was finally able to take a break from taking care of business. The Yggdrassil and her crew had to be looked out for after all, didn't they?  
  
He went to the cafeteria to get himself a cup of coffee (or two, or three), when he saw Fei, Citan, and Billy sitting at one of the tables, enjoying a late breakfast. Shrugging, the ex-pirate decided to go over and try to relax.  
  
"Morning, fellas," he muttered as he sank down in an empty chair.  
  
The others looked up and greeted him back before returning to their breakfast. Not Fei, though. Fei gave him a knowing grin and clapped him on the back.  
  
"So, how'd it go, my friend?" he asked before taking a sip of his mug. The other two looked up, Citan with a small smile and Billy with a questioning glance directed at him.   
  
Bart's answer was to give an unintelligible grunt as his coffee was served by a waitress. The others waited expectantly while he swallowed some of the hot stuff down. Billy gave a low whistle as he saw Bart swallow the whole mug down in one gulp.  
  
"Ahhhh." Putting the mug down, Bart signalled for another before finally turning to the others. Ctan was busy cutting his hotcakes, but Fei and Billy waited for him to begin talking, their breakfasts momentarily forgotten.  
  
When Bart just grinned at them, Billy sighed and turned back to his food. "You know what, you don't have to tell us. It's none of our business anyway, and it's not like we'll _die_ by not knowing."  
  
"Oh yeah? Tell that to them," Fei said, pointing over his shoulder to a table at the other end of the cafeteria where the girls were all crowded around one person. Bart didn't even have to guess who.  
  
"Yeah, well we don't have to do that," Billy murmured.  
  
"Yes, it's clear women share a lot more information than men do," Citan agreed with a dejected shrug.  
  
"No need to go down to _their_ level," Fei sighed. "Besides, men don't gossip. . ."  
  
They all looked at each other and nodded their heads slowly in agreement. Whatever had happened, Bart wasn't forced to say. It was a man thing.  
  
But they couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to go over and sit at that other table and listen. . .  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
An hour later, everyone gathered at the large room Queen Zephyr had turned into a Council Hall. The room had all the essentials; a large table, maps on every free surface, and a large Headseat for Zephyr.  
  
The ones present consisted of the Great Mother Marguerite Fatima of the Nisan Sect, King Bartholomew Fatima of the Aveh Kingdom, Ricardo Banderas as the representative of the Kislev Empire, the Hero Fei Fong Wong and the Lady Elhaym VanHouten, Shevat Councilmen Citan Uzuki and Jessiah Black, and finally Queen Zephyr herself.  
  
They all sat down at their assigned seats around the table and waited expectantly for Kahran Ramsus, who came in last and sat down also. Once he did, Queen Zephyr stood up.  
  
"My guests, let me thank you all for coming as representatives for your respective countries. We have all gathered here on the summons of Kahran Ramsus and after much consideration, I decided that in order for him to relay his message, you would all have to be present, too. Sir Kahran Ramsus, you have all of our attention. Please proceed with your message."  
  
Kahr stood up and cleared his throat softly. Then he looked them all one by one in the eye before he began speaking. "I was sent as an envoy from the Solaris Empire. Once Deus was obliterated, I went back to my home country to see how things were being handled up there. I found out that with the destruction of the Ministry and the death of Emperor Kain, Solaris was in a state of confusion. But they were willing to learn. Once I cleared it up for them that the only way they would be able to move on was with the cooperation of the nations below, they held meeting after countless meeting. The question on everybodies lips was if they would finally be able to make peace with the people they had been feuding with for so long."  
  
"It's possible," Rico suddenly spoke up. "If Kislev and Aveh were able to do it, why shouldn't Solaris?"  
  
Kahr nodded in agreement. "Yes, well everything was weighed and considered. In the end, it was finally decided that yes, it was possible and so, they sent me here as an envoy to offer a Peace Treaty with Shevat. Since I've been involved with the whole incident that led up to the destruction of Deus, they thought I would be a good representative." The man's scowl and tone said otherwise. Margie guessed that he didn't believe that because he didn't consider himself worthy enough.  
  
"Wait a minute, Ramsus," Fei said. "You said a Peace Treaty with Shevat. What about the rest of the nations?"  
  
Kahr sighed and shook his head. "I am sorry to say that Solaris still doesn't consider the other nations, or 'land dwellers,' anything above animals as of yet. They are not perceived as equals. . ."  
  
"Well, isn't that just dandy," Bart began heatedly. "They want to make peace, but they don't give a damn that more than one-third of the population _are_ 'land-dwellers!' How do they expect to move forward if they're still too mule-headed to see as as anything more than animals!?"  
  
There were murmurs of agreement from the rest, until Zephyr spoke up. "I agree with what the King of Aveh has said. Do they even realize that without the support of their nations, life could become a living hell for them? Without the threat of the Ministry and their hold on humanity, Solaris is just another small obstacle that we need to overcome in order to bring real peace back to the world."  
  
"That is what I tried to clarify for them, but they would not listen," Kahr sighed. "In any case, the Peace Treaty is for Shevat and I am to return to Solaris with whatever answer you give them."  
  
"I will have to discuss this with my Councilmen and the representatives for the rest of the nations," Zephyr said, but it seemed her internal wheels were already turning. Margie could tell by the thoughtful look on her face. "In the meantime, you are all dismissed. Unless Sir Ramsus has anything else to share with us?"  
  
"Just some advice. The Solaris Empire is still very much in turmoil. My suggestion to you all would be to push the Peace Treaty to cover _all_ of the nations, or otherwise you don't agree with it at all. Believe me, Solaris needs your cooperation and is afraid of what could happen if you do not agree and wage all out war with them. They know they'll be annihalated if you all allied yourselves against them, but they're still pompous enough that they sent this treat to Shevat only because they think you will be submissive and agree to it."  
  
With that, he left them all to talk it over.  
  
  
  
  
To be continued. . .  
  
  
  
*Yes, people, I'm almost done with this. I think there is only one chapter left, two at the most. So, don't forget to review. ^_^* 


	15. My Last Chapter! *sniff*

Author's Note: *sniff* Not much to say here, except. . . *sniff* enjoy. . . *sniff*  
This last chapter is dedicated to Yumei, one of the better Xenofic author's out there and one of the sweetest people! Hope you like this mushy chapter, Yumei! ^_^   
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Xenogears belongs to Squaresoft, although that is in question right now. I heard something about Namco. . .  
  
  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
Bart watched absentmindedly as the crew packed all the stuff back into the Yggdrassil. He wasn't paying much attention as he stood there with his arms crossed and the snow flakes falling around him in a feathery rain. All he could think about was that Peace Treaty Ramsus had talked about. They had already made the decision last night to ask for the Treaty to cover all the nations before signing it. That had been the smartest thing to do. Even Ramsus had agreed. Now, it was time to head back home. . .  
  
Not until someone cleared their throat near him did he finally blink and shake his head, getting his mind back on track. He glanced over and saw no one there. Scowling, he was about to go back to his brooding (he'd been doing a lot of that lately), when he heard another "ahem". Below him.  
  
He glanced down to see the little pink furball that was Chu-Chu frowning up at him with her annoyingly cute green eyes. He still couldn't figure out how Margie had confused this little thing with a stuffed animal. She showed her emotions so clearly. Like right now. Annoyance was clearly written on her furry face.  
  
"What's up, Chu-Chu?" he asked absently, turning back to the cargo.  
  
"Bart, have chu not noticed?" she demanded in an irritated little voice.  
  
"No. What are you talking about?"  
  
"Margie's missing."  
  
"She is? Since when?" Bart asked, not really alarmed.  
  
"Since after breakfast this morning. She didn't show up to the get-chugether Elly planned for the girls to say goodbye to Queen Zephyr. We've looked, but we can't find her. Have you seen her?"  
  
"Not since last night," Bart murmured. Taking a wild guess, Bart glanced up to his left at the balcony they had spent yesterday morning in.  
  
"Well, what should we do, Bart? What do you want me chu do?" Chu-Chu asked, staring up at him hopefully. "I don't want chu leave her behind. Sister Agnes would kill us!"  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it, furball," Bart reassured. "I'll find her. I think I know where she's at."  
  
As he began heading for the entrance to Shevat, he reached into his coat and fingered his inner vest pocket. Something told him he might as well do it now.  
  
With his heart pounding harder than he'd like to admit, he hurried inside and began heading down the corridor to the balcony.  
  
**************************************************  
  
"Too lazy to go help?"  
  
He had the satisfaction of watching her jump in her seat on an old piece of concrete.  
  
"Oh!" Turning, she glared at him with her sapphire eyes. "Bart, I wish you wouldn't do that! You startled me!"  
  
He grinned cheekily and made his way toward her. "Heh, you're such an easy target. Scoot over, would you. Hey, remember that time in the Masoleum? I think you must've jumped five feet when I tapped you on the shoulder."  
  
Close by, her glare was a lot more potent, he noticed with a slight smile. Luckily, he was immune to it.   
  
"It was dark, you oaf! And besides, you're not supposed to sneak up on people like that. You'd think that living around such gentlemen as Maison and Sigurd would teach you some manners. . ."  
  
"Nah, they can be bigger jerks than I am if they wanted to. Where do you think I learned all my pranks from as a kid?"  
  
"I thought you were just naturally born a jerk. . ." she quipped, smiling as he reached down and tucked her hand in his casually.  
  
"Funny, O' Great Mother. So, what where you doing here all alone? We're supposed to leave soon, you know."  
  
She turned back to look at the falling flakes. "Yeah. . . I know. I just wanted to enjoy the snow a little longer."  
  
"You could've done that while helping us pack. . ." he suggested in a serious voice. But the mischievous smile wouldn't fade from his face.  
  
She didn't even bother to look at him. "Oh, shut up. It's not like you were helping either."  
  
"Hey, I'm the Captain. My job is to supervise."  
  
"Lazy bum. . ."  
  
"At least I get the job done. I'd like to see you handle my crew."  
  
She turned back to him and with raised eyebrows. "I bet you I could handle them a lot better than you can."  
  
He smirked. "Wanna bet?"  
  
"No need to. I already know they like me a whole lot better than they like you."  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"I've seen the results of the poll they had last month. Sig won first place and I got second."  
  
"You're lying." But he was frowning slightly.  
  
"Afraid not, Captain. Wanna ask Franz or Bingo?"  
  
". . . No. And stop giggling."  
  
She did, but the laughter was still in her voice. "Sorry. But that'll teach you to sneak up on me."  
  
"Tch. Fine." He looked away.  
  
"Aw, come on, Bart," she began, leaning forward in her seat to look at his averted face. "No need to get sulky."  
  
"I don't sulk," he muttered.  
  
"No," she agreed, "you just pout."  
  
"I don't do that either!" His glare was just as sharp as hers had been a moment before.  
  
"Actually, you don't, but I do love to get you annoyed."  
  
He snorted and shook his head rufully, a smile tugging at his lips stubbornly. ". . . You're a rare one, Margie."  
  
"Yeah, I know." She grinned. Then she closed her eyes when he drapped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. "Hmm, that feels good. . . So, why are you getting all soft on me? Admit defeat, do you?"  
  
"Margie, you do realize that with my arm around you the way it is, I could choke you if I wanted to, right?"  
  
"You wouldn't dare," she yawned, leaning against him and pulling her feet off the snow covered ground to rest beside her on the bench.  
  
He looked down at her and studied her carefully. Her eyes were blinking sleepily at the snow and her hair so close to his face smelled like. . . rasberries today. He felt his heart trip once again like it had that time weeks ago that he'd been carrying her to the tub and she had murmured his name in her sleep. Just like the time he'd seen her unconscious and bandaged on that hospital bed that first time after her attack. He could _never_ lose her. Not ever. When he spoke, his voice didn't sound as playful as he wanted it to.   
  
". . . Nah, I guess not. The who would I tease unmercifully?"  
  
But she didn't notice. She just closed her eyes and snuggled closer to his warmth. "One of the things I love about you is how sweet you can be sometimes. . ."  
  
". . . Thanks. . . I think. . ."  
  
For a while after that, they remained quiet, just watching as the snow continued falling around them and on them.  
  
~Now's the time~ his mind urged. ~Do it now, or you never will!~  
  
Nervous, Bart ran a gloved hand through his hair and scattered the feathery flakes that clung to his golden locks. He tried to remember the last time he'd felt this nervous. . . but he couldn't. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and forced himself to start talking.  
  
"Hey, Margie," he murmured.  
  
"Hmm." She didn't look up at him.  
  
"Um, remember that time a few weeks ago in Nisan when told us that you were coming to Shevat with Ramsus, and then you asked if you could have a ride on the Yggdrassil?"  
  
"Yeah. What about it?"  
  
"Well, um, after you came back from your little walk, you found me in your house and then you made me fall from my chair. . ."  
  
"Oh no, you fell on your own. You were the one leaning your chair back and. . ." Suddenly, her grin faded and she sat up, turning to stare at him. Her eyes narrowed on him and he squirmed in his seat. "Yeah, and if I remember correctly, you were hiding something from me, weren't you? You promised you'd show it to me later. . . and you never did. . ."  
  
He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, that's what I want--"  
  
"It's later now, Bart," she interrupted him. With a sly grin, she leaned over and kissed him lightly. "And I hardly think you should be hiding things from me now."  
  
He fidgeted and looked away from her direct look. Deus, she had to make this harder than it already was, didn't she? "Margie, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. . ."  
  
"So, let's talk," she urged. She turned on the bench so she could sit crosslegged on it and face him directly.  
  
With a sigh, he faced her too, stradling the bench and reaching into his coat to take it out of his vest pocket. She took the small box out of his hands before he could open it.  
  
With an impish grin (he'd rubbed off on her), she opened the small little white marble box and looked inside curiously. Then he saw the grin fade, replaced by genuine surprise.  
  
"Like it?" he asked quietly.  
  
She looked up and stared at him with wide eyes. "Bart, it's beautiful," she breathed, looking down at the ring in the box. It was simple, yet beautiful. A gold band crowned by a sapphire teardrop and two tiny diamond teardrops on either side of it, their pointed tips facing outward. The sapphire gave a quiet shimmer, while the diamonds looked like white fire against the black velvet the ring was resting on. She looked up at him again. "Where did you get this. . .?"  
  
He smiled a little. "From the Palace vault. After we got rid of Shakhan, there were a lot of things that needed sorting, including the family jewels." He grinned a little at that. But then he grew sober again. "I found that with my Mother's personal stuff. It was. . . the ring my Father gave her on their engagement ball."  
  
Margie licked her dry lips and held the box with even more reverance. "Bart, this must be. . . priceless for you. . ." She looked up and studied his serious face. "So, you've been carrying this around with you?"  
  
"Yeah." He looked down at the bench. "When I found it, it got me thinking. . ."  
  
"About your parents?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yeah. But about other stuff, too."  
  
When he didn't look up at her, she turned back to study the ring in her hands. "Well, I can honestly say that this is one of the most precious jewels in Aveh. Somewhere up there in the ranks of the Fatima Jasper." She smiled, but when he finally looked up, his gaze was serious. "What is it, Bart?" she asked gently. She knew how hard it was to get reminded that your parents weren't with you anymore.  
  
"After I found it, I. . . kept on thinking about you." He tried to gauge her reaction, but all he could see was her eyes widen a little. He continued quietly. "I thought about you so much, and at the time I couldn't figure out how you were tied with the ring. But when I saw you in Nisan again, I think I got an idea of what you meant to me. Nothing really revealing, or I would've told you then that I wanted us to be more than friends. But it wasn't until you kissed me on the Yggdrassil that it really hit me. I denied it at first. Not because I didn't want to be with you, but because you made me feel things so much stronger than I expected them to be. And then you got hurt when we arrived here in Shevat, and I realized that if I kept denying it, I would lose you. Not to some monster, but just to my plain stubborness. . . I knew that I finally needed to tell you how deep my feelings went. . ."  
  
Margie forced herself to breathe. It was hard at first, but eventually, she got her body to function normally again. She swallowed and looked down at her hands. Her eyes focused on the ring there and she was forced to swallow again.  
  
"And you already told me yesterday that you loved me," she murmured, looking back up at him. But he frowned.  
  
"But that isn't enough," he muttered.  
  
"What do you mean?" she whispered, uncrossing her legs.  
  
"Don't you see, Margie?" he asked, scooting closer to her and taking the box from her hands. He set it down carefully between them, then took her hand and began pulling off her glove. "I don't just love you, I want to stay with you forever. I want us to always be together. . ." When he began taking the ring out of the box, she felt a sob escape her. When he slipped the ring on her finger, she felt the warmth of her tears run down her face. She could barely see him through her blurred vision, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was completely serious. "Margie, I want us to get married."  
  
She couldn't believe it. He had just told her that. . . he wanted to marry her! Bart, the man she had thought would never settle!  
  
She wiped her tears away with her gloved hand and looked down at the ring on her finger. Then she looked up at him, her eyebrows raised incredously, but her voice extremely happy. "You do know that I'm not going to marry you anytime soon? We're both too--"  
  
"I know we're both too young," he interrupted, grinning at her response. "But I want it to happen someday." He reached out and cupped her flushed face in his gloved hands gently. "Margie, you're the most precious person in my life. I think we've always had a connection, a bond that we've only recently realized was there. This ring will just help strengthen that tie between us."  
  
She smiled as he kissed her cold lips, warming them with his own. Then she began laughing as he pulled away. A combination of laughter and sobs as she stared at the ring again. When she looked up at him, she stood up and went over to him to settle down on his lap and hold him tightly.  
  
"Happy, Margie?" he whispered, his fingers playing with her loose hair.  
  
"Yes, Bart. Happier than I've been in a long time. There's just one problem," she murmured against his scarf.  
  
With a frown, he pulled her away to look at her face. "What?"  
  
She smiled at him adoringly. "You forgot to get down on your knees, love."  
  
He groaned and looked up at the sky helplessly as she giggled and pulled his face down so she could kiss him fully.   
  
  
  
THE END ^_^  
  
  
  
*sniffle* So, that was it, people. Hope you all enjoyed reading the very first fic I wrote. It turned out to be longer than expected, but I had fun! Hope you all did also in reading it. ^_^ But I swear, I couldn't have done it without all of you out there who read this and reviewed it and kept me going! I love you all! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and special thanks to:  
  
Yen and Yumei: You two gave me great inspiration in your own ways, which I'm sure you're not aware of. ^_^ People out there, read these two author's Xenofics! They're GOOD!  
  
Justin Asselstine: My best reviewer. Thanks for all of your nice commentaries! And keep on the lookout for the sequel! All of you keep an eye out for it!  
  
Aaron, LunarBlade, and Janis: The people who urged me to at least take a second look over my chapters and see if I could correct a few mistakes. Although, mistakes still run rampant in them. . . ^_^  
  
Romantica, Kari Kamiya, and invisible girl: You three fellow women sure know how to make a writer feel good about what she's writing, even if my fic was all mushy and didn't fit the dark mood of the actual game.   
  
And last, but not least! Thanks to all my other reviewers: Una, m, Leena Aki, kenisha, Kate Barancik, Kay, RaichuTec, Marina, Jefcat, Cythen, Miyu, ragemaiden, yuuki, URUQuai15, A-chan, Guardian Kysra, Azrel, Kuroi Engel, and Bulma 4 Veggie! You guys are the best!!   
  
Love-  
  
Shadow Angel (aww, sniffle) 


	16. Epilogue

Author's Note: Alright, I know that in my last chapter, I left a lot of loose ends. Here's the epilogue, which will not only take care of that little problem, but it sets the changes for my sequel. So, enjoy!  
  
  
  
*Disclaimer*: Game belongs to Squaresoft. Story's all mine.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
When Margie and Bart finally made it down to the Yggdrassil, almost everyone was waiting outside of the ship, standing in the fresh snow. Many were saying their goodbyes.  
  
Margie spotted Elly a few feet away, standing by Fei who had his arm around her shoulders. The Great Mother immediately smiled and let go of Bart's hand to run ahead and pull Elly away from a protesting Fei.  
  
She laughed as Fei yelled at her. "Don't worry, Fei! I'll take care of your wife!" she yelled back with a grin as Bart tried to calm the martial artist down.   
  
Elly giggled at her husbands reaction. But then she turned to Margie, and studied the younger girls excited expression. "Margie, what happened? You didn't show up to the brunch we had planned for Queen Zephyr. That was pretty rude, you know."  
  
Margie's smile didn't fade as she continued leading the pregnant Solarian around the crowds in her search for the others. When she didn't answer, Elly pulled on the hand that was leading her to get the girl's attention. "Margie, what happened? And where are we going?"  
  
"I want to find Maria and Em," Margie said. "I want them to be hear it, too."  
  
"Hear what? What happened?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
They finally spotted the two a few feet away, talking in a small group with some other girls. Margie was surprised to see those other girls where Kahr's girls. She was also pleased that they were finally getting along.  
  
"Have they been doing this much?" she asked Elly.  
  
"Since about a week ago. You haven't been able to see because you were stuck in your room, but they've become friends of a sort. Maria and Tolone still tend to argue a bit," Elly added with a grin.  
  
Emeralda spotted Margie and Elly first, and she tapped Maria on the shoulder to point at them. Maria stopped her conversation and turned to them, smiling and waving when she saw them. The other three, which were Kelvena, Tolone, and Seraphita turned too and smiled a little. Well, except for Tolone. She just lifted her eyebrows at them a little. That's about as much greeting as they were going to get from her.  
  
"Margie, where have you been?" Maria demanded as they got withing hearing range. "You missed the brunch and all of us where there, even Dominia."  
  
"Yes, but all she did was mutter about it being too girly and pointless," Kelvena laughed softly. "I'm sure she just wanted to go back to the Commander. I think she misses him after being away from him for five minutes."  
  
The others giggled, too, but they glanced around nervously. If Dominia heard them. . .  
  
"So, where were you?" Maria asked again. The others looked at her expectantly, too.  
  
Margie smiled happily and sighed. "Well, I kinda disappeared on purpose because I didn't want to leave, you know. But then Bart found me and. . ."  
  
"And?" Elly asked.  
  
Margie's smile softened and she pulled up the long sleeve of her coat, exposing her ungloved hand and the ring on it. The others immediately gasped and crowded around, asking a dozen questions at once.  
  
"Oh, Margie, is that what I think it is?" Elly  
  
"Bart actually proposed?" Emeralda  
  
"Deus, look at the sapphire on that thing! And the diamonds!" Tolone  
  
"What did he say? Was it romantic?" Kelvena  
  
"Forget that! What did _you_ say, Margie?" Maria  
  
"Yeah! When's the wedding!" Seraphita  
  
Margie's giggles turned to sobs again as she looked down at the ring on her finger. She began crying and the others quit asking questions and "aww'ed" at her tears before they patted her understandingly. Elly hugged her as Margie's weeping continued, until Margie finally pulled away and wiped at her tears with her gloved hand. She gave the others an embarrased smile, but then they all began giggling again.  
  
"What's going on here?"  
  
They all turned and saw Dominia coming toward them, a questioning look on her face. The giggling stopped and they all looked around sheepishly, but Seraphita spoke up. "Bart proposed to Margie a little while ago," she chirped, smiling.  
  
The giggling started all over and Margie smiled in embarrasement once more, but Dominia surprised them all by nodding in approval and softening enough to say a few nice things to Margie. "Congratulations. Young and he's already making a commitment. That shows strength and dedication. I'm sure you'll be happy with him." Then she looked at her three companions. "Now, you three. Come with me. The Commander was looking for you."  
  
And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving a surprised group to stare after her.  
  
"Whoa," Tolone breathed, shaking her head. "Either the Comaander's finally looking her way, or she's been drinking a little too early. . ."  
  
That started the others off again, biut they finally sobered up as the goodbye's began.  
  
"Well, we have to go. We'll see you later on the ship, then," Kelvena said, nodding at them. She turned to Margie and cleared her throat before leaning in and giving her a quick hug. Surprised but pleased, Margie hugged the Solarian back. "Congratulations, Great Mother," she whispered.  
  
Margie winced like she had on that day so many weeks ago, but laughed softly. "Call me Margie, Kelvena. All my friends do."  
  
The two smiled at each other, a newfound bond between them before the dark-haired Solarian backed off and waved at the others before leaving.  
  
"Yeah, congrats," a sweet voice agreed. Margie looked over and smiled at Seraphita, who came over and hugged her too. Then she went after Kelvena.  
  
Tolone only nodded at her before she followed the other two.  
  
The four who remained looked at each other and smiled in pleasure. They'd made four new friends out of the ones they had once thought of as enemies.  
  
***************************************************  
  
When the preperations were complete and everyone began climbing on the Yggdrassil, Margie was saying her goodbyes to Zephyr.  
  
". . .and I apologize for not attending the goodbye brunch we had planned," Margie continued explaining. "It's just that I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave and I still don't, but--"  
  
"It's okay, Marguerite," Zephyr assured, smiling in her serious way. "I understand perfectly. Besides, I hear that something more important happened while you escaped. Something that has to do with the young Bartholomew. . ."  
  
Margie blushed under the Queens penetrating stare. Then both women smiled secretly at each as only females could.  
  
"I thought as much," Zephyr said, nodding in satisfaction. "The young one adores you. So he finally asked you to marry him?"  
  
Margie looked thoughtful. "He told me, actually. No asking."  
  
"Which fits much more with his character," the Queen commented.  
  
"Oh, but it was perfect, Zephyr," Margie whispered, a smile coming back to her face.  
  
"Margie!"  
  
They both turned to see Bart coming toward them. "We're already starting to file in and. . ." he trailed off as he saw the looks the two women gave him. Deus, they both still looked younger than he was, yet they unnerved him with their eyes, which seemed wiser than their years. He hesitated and finally cleared his throat. "Um, as I was saying, we're all getting in the Yggdrassil already, but Maria says she needs to talk to us."  
  
Margie grinned at his obvious nervousness. "Alright, Bart. We'll be there in a minute."  
  
He nodded before quickly hurrying off. Margie chuckled under her breath. "So, Zephyr. Coming along?"  
  
But the young looking Queen shook her head. "No. I belive I have an idea of what Maria wants to say."  
  
"Oh, okay. Goodbye then, Zephyr," Margie said, taking the Queens hands in herown and giving them a squeeze. "And thanks for everything."  
  
"No need for thanks, Marguerite. Goodbye."  
  
Margie waved as she ran towards the Ygddrassil. Once she arrived, she saw that the whole group was there, waiting expectantly as Maria stood on top of a small, little hill so she could be seen. When the girl saw Margie, she finally gave a piercing whistle that got everyone's attention. Everyone looked up at her.  
  
"Alright, everyone. I know that you're all desperate to go." She grinned at the snorts of disbelief that followed this comment. "Anyway, after this visit, I've realized that instead of going back to Nisan, I want to stay here."  
  
Complete silence followed her announcement. Until Emeralda finally spoke up. "You want to stay here? But why?"  
  
"Because this is my home, Em. I know I've been staying in Nisan when we're not searching for refugees, but that was only for convenience sake. Now, I think I should stay here for a while and help with all the things that need to be done. Help is needed here too, you know."  
  
The others began murmuring amongst themselves, until Margie cupped her gloved hands over her mouth and called, "But you're gonna visit all the time, right?"  
  
Maria grinned at her and nodded. "Of course, Margie. I'll visit you all whenever I can. And you guys can visit me whenever you want."  
  
Fei finally spoke. "Hey, Maria, you know we're gonna miss you, right? You're a part of the team."  
  
Maria blushed a little at this, and a smile lit up her face.   
  
"Yeah, squirt," Bart agreed, calling her by the old nickname he used to use. "We're going to have to keep in touch frequently."  
  
Elly stepped forward and gave Maria a hug. The the others followed suit. Margie hugged the girl fiercely, whispering. "You're practically my younger sister, you know. I'm gonna miss you."  
  
"Yeah, me too," Maria whispered back. When Margie pulled away, she saw that tears stood in Maria's dark green eyes. Emeralda hugged her just as tightly and Maria sniffled in her best friend's shoulder. "Take care, Em. Keep an eye on Fei and Elly for me. They need all the help they can get."  
  
"Yes, Maria. I will miss your company," Emeralda said, pulling away. "But I understand that this is your home and you need to do what you can."  
  
Maria nodded and wiped her tears away. The Prim was there to take Emeralda's place. The young girl clung to Maria from the waist and Maria laughed softly as she ruffled her silver hair. The Prim let go and began pulling Maria by the hand towards Billy, who stood a few feet away.  
  
Margie and Emeralda smiled at each other as they saw them talking a bit before she hugged him warmly, her arms around his neck. Billy hesitated a moment before returning the hug.  
  
"Too bad we couldn't hear what they were saying," Margie grumbled as Maria began coming back. They saw the blush staining her cheeks and began giggling, while Maria frowned at them in annoyance. But then she began giggling, too.  
  
Kelvena, Tolone, and Seraphita said goodbye to Maria, too. Two hugs and another nod later, everyone was climbing on to the Yggdrassil, waving at Maria and Zephyr as long as they could see them.  
  
Then they headed back home.  
  
  
  
REALLY THE END. . . UNTIL THE SEQUEL. . . ^_^  
  
  
*There. That should hold you all until the sequel. 


End file.
